Secrets revealed
by omgluvr24
Summary: This is my version of how everyone finds out about Daine and Numair. Then the unexpected happens. Spoilers for people who have not read all of the immortals series.
1. Alanna's Findings

This is my version of how everyone finds out about Daine and Numair.

This is my first fiction so please do not judge too harshly. All comments are welcome

Disclaimer: the immortals series are not mine blah blah I do not own them I am simply adding on to some parts that tamora pierce left out.

Numair heard a rap on the door to his bedchambers. Removing his arm from the waist of Veralidaine Sarrasri, he pulled on some breeches and opened the door. Standing in the doorway was Alanna Cooper, the lioness, of Pirate's Swoop, Olau, and Trebond.

"Numair I was wondering where –" She broke off noticing the shape of a person under Numair's blankets "Who's that?" She asked suspiciously.

"Who does it matter. What was your question?" Numair retorted. He and Daine had agreed to keep their relationship private.

"It matters because that person has the same hair as Daine, who I am looking for. She's not in her bedchambers. Is that Daine, Numair?" Alanna looked somewhat angry but also amused.

There was no need for Numair to answer. At that moment, Daine rolled over, awakening.

"Numair?" She asked sleepily, realizing that he was not at her side. From the doorway where Alanna stood her face and bare shoulders were completely visible.

Daine sat up, clutching the blankets to her chest. Seeing Alanna, she blushed crimson and looked at Numair for an explanation.

Alanna was visibly fighting fits of laughter and, after a few moments, was defeated.

"Alanna, shut up d'you want the whole castle to hear you?" Daine asked crossly. She had already bgun to dress and was rather disgruntled by waking up to have her secret relationship revealed.

"Right. Um, then, I will be on my way." Alanna gasped, fighting to keep a straight face.

When she was gone Daine turned to Numair. "How long d'you think until the whole castle knows about us?"

"I give it 'till sundown." He replied rather grimly.

Alanna ran through the halls of the palace, towards the private quarters of King Jonathan and Queen Thayet. Her face was red from surpressed laughter

She knocked five times before Jonathan answer the door. "Hullo, Alanna. Why is your face so red?" He said, stepping aside to let her in. Within the chamber were the king, the queen, and Onua the horse mistress of the Riders.

"Did you find her?" Onua asked, worry etched on her face. When the lioness nodded, her face washed over with relief "Where was she?"

Alanna opened her mouth only to have laughter come out. It took several deep breaths for her to calm down. "In Numair's rooms." She stated simply. The king and Onua seemed that this was and answer enough, but not Thayet.

"Where in his rooms?" When she saw that Alanna began to laugh again she asked "In his bed?"

The king looked at his wife harshly

"We should not make any assumptions." But then he saw Alanna nod.

Alanna's words spilled out very fast.

"I went to his rooms to see if she was talking to him and he answered with only breeches on and that was strange enough but there was a figure under his blankets so I asked him who it was and he said it didn't matter but then she rolled over and spoke and it was Daine and then Daine blushed redder that my shield and looked annoyed and I think that they have been having a love affair for sometime." Alanna said in one breath.

"Well said the queen. "This is most interesting."


	2. To Tell the Truth

OK I changed my mind. I don't care what you say I just NEED reviews ASAP. So if you even glance at my story, take a few seconds out of your pitiful life and review it cause I know if you read it (insert creepy twilight zone music here)

Disclaimer: Characters= not mine plot=mine(sorta, I guess, kinda, maybe, not really, no)

Daine sighed and walked over to Numair who was sitting on the end of his bed. She had just finished dressing (A/N sorry for interrupting b/c I know you LOVE my story but I just decided that that last sentence was completely random).

"What are we going to do?" She asked softly "they'll all already know by now."

"I know, magelet. I suppose we'll have to talk to them." He replied worridly

"Can we do it no before I frighten too much? I think I will feel better if I don't have to walk around all day knowing that they are staring at me."

Numair nodded. "She'll probably have gone to the royal chambers.C'mon."

They walked down the corridor (A/N isn't that a great word "Corridor"…..) together and Numair knocked on the door softly.

A servant answered the door. "Hello, I am Numair Salmalin and this is Veralidaine Sarrasri. We are here to see His Highness."

The servant nodded. He led them to a small sitting room that was lavishly decorated. "Presenting Master Salmalin and Mistress Sarrasri."

Everyone in the room, Alanna, Thayet, Jon, Onua, and George, were immediately silent. Alanna broke into another silent fit of laughter and Thayet, too, giggled a bit.

Daine glared daggers at Alanna "What a loudmouth you are, lady knight. I see you have told the royal party plus our friends what you encountered this morning." She was fighting to keep her voice even and her eyes were stung with tears. Onua recognized her facial expression and stopped smiling.

"Daine. Why are you upset. We are all happy for you."

Daine stared at her surprised "You're not upset I – we didn't tell you?"

The Queen smiled. "Of course not. We are happy for you. I am especially happy that both of you have learned to realize your emotions and feelings for one another."

Both Daine and Nuamir blushed red.

Alanna succumbed to howls of laughter and commented slyly "You don't look nearly as red as you did this morning." They both turned the color of tomatoes "I take that back. You're redder now."

OK sorry if it was a short chapter but I have trouble paying attention to long chapters so Im doing this for all the attention challenged people. PLEASE REVIEW if you have any ideas of what should happen, please tell!

Loves you 4eva 3333333 em


	3. Evin and his Loudmouth

REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disclaimer: characters and such are not mine, they are tamora pierces and effing awesome

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(this is my new divider)

That night at dinner, Daine could feel everyone's eyes on her as she ate with Evin and Miri (A/N are those how you spell their names)

"Why are they all staring? You didn't play a mean trick on someone, did you, Evin?" Miri asked. Daine looked down at her meal.

"Me? What just because I'm a player's son, I have to be the reason that they are all staring. How do you know that your shirt isn't see-through or Daine is having a love affair with someone scandalous?" Evin cried indignantly. He was joking but all the same, Daine blushed a deep red

"Ooohhh, Evin, look at Daine's face. It is sooo her fault that they're all staring. What'd you do, Daine." Miri looked certain of herself and interested.

"I…..um……I-uh……I'd rather not talk about it." She spluttered.

"Well," Said Evin in mock annoyance "If you're not going to tell us yourself I will just go ask someone and get the latest twisted version of it."

Daine shot him a look that could have killed. "I, umn(A/N yes I did mean to write umn not um), well you guessed already so I guess that's the end of the story." She said quickly.

"Wait you seriously are having a love affair? SERIOUSLY?" Evin yelled the last word so loud that the entire hall looked over at him.

"Shut up, Evin, everyone will hear." Miri said quietly. She put a hand in his. Daine wondered if they were more than just friends and decided to ponder the thought later. Miril turned to Daine and said quietly "Who with?"

Daine blushed a deep crimson and looked in Numair's direction. Miri gasped, see who she was looking at but Evin didn't get it. "Who is it already!" he cried in exasperation.

Miri looked at Diane and mouthed the word "Numair?" to her. Daine nodded. Miri cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered the same word, but with more certainty, in Evin's ear. When she had finished telling him who Diane's secret lover was, he looked aghast.

"But – you and ……….. that's like fifteen years and – but you can't have……. When did this happen?" He finally asked in a full sentence.

"Um, since we were in the realms of the gods and we were um." Daine's voice trailed off. "Do I really have to finish that sentence?"

"Yes we want to hear every single detail like mfh mmm ohmmmfhhh." Evin's mouth was covered by Miri's hand. Daine used this time to leave the dining pavilion. (A/N another great word: Pavillion!)

On her way back to her room, a speaking spell appeared next to her. I was black magic. Nuamiar's magic.

"Don't come to my rooms tonight until midnight. Shapeshift and com through the window.

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Daine whiled away the wait until midnight by talking to Zek and Kitten. When alas the midnight bell rang, Daine shapeshifted into a beautiful golden eagle and flew to Nuamair's closeby window.

When she arrived in the room, Numair was nowhere to be seen. She heard sounds from the privy and figured he must be there. Going to his closet, she pulled out one of his shirts and put it on. The shirt came down to her mid-thighs.

She lay down on the bed and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, Nuamair had straddled her. (A/N does that seriously sound as inappropriate as I think it does?) He kissed her forehead, eyelids, cheeks, neck, and finally her mouth. She kissed back with equal passion. Soon the shirt she had so recently pulled on had been ripped off, as had Numair's clothes.

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MUHAHAHAHAHA cliffhanger(not really since you can probably figure what happens. This chapter is three whole pages on my word doc thingy! YAYAYAYAY! I am so proud of me.

REVIEW!


	4. Golden Eagles and What they cause

Heyyyyy! I am sooo happy! I got my first review today. I know, I know, you all are so proud of me. Well you should be. You should also be full of shame for not being the one to write it (except you Technician Fan, you can just feel special for being the one that wrote my one and only review). I mean seriously people. It takes like two seconds out of you pointless lives (not really I don't know what you do with your lives and frankly I don't want to know) to write like two sentences on what you think of my story. So let's all take a blood vow (I just learned about those cause im reading _Trickster's Choice_ right now) and say that we will all be good little boys and girls and review my story.

(A/N if you review my story I will mention you like I did Technician Fan, who is my new BFFL)

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"A golden eagle left Master Salmalin's rooms at two in the morning, Highness." The page look frightened to be in such grand presence and confused at why the King's Champion was howling with laughter

"Thank you. You are dismissed." King Jonathan spoke with authority but there was humor dancing in his sapphire eyes.

When the page had shut the door, Thayet looked at Alanna. "Why do you find this so funny? Even when you found out about other people's love affairs you never laughed this much."

"That's because I didn't know the other people as well as I know Daine and Numair. Oh my gods I am going to have to tease them about this all day.

Onua winced "Can't you just leave them be?" She asked

"No." This answer was not from the Lioness but from her husband who knew her so well.

Jon, Thayet, Onua, Alanna, George, and Raoul (A/N yeah you didn't see that coming did you?) filed out of the chambers

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When Alanna sat down across the table from Daine, Numair, and Raoul, she smiled.

"How was everybody's evening?" She asked, seemingly innocently.

"Fine." Replied the three all at the same time. Alanna knew that Raoul was just being antisocial, as always. She also knew that Daine and Numair had something to hide.

"Well what did you do that was 'Fine'?" Alanna asked

"Nothing." The couple replied in unison as now Raoul caught on to what Alanna was doing and smirked into his toast.

"Are you sure about that? Because I know quite a few pages who were doing work at two in the morning when they saw a very peculiar thing. Can you guess what they saw?" Alanna asked as Onua and George joined them. Numair and Daine were silent and like stones. Alanna continued. "These pages saw a golden eagle coming out of your window, Master Salmalin. Now I know we know somebody who shape shifts and prefers a golden eagle. Who is it now? Hmmmm. What do you think, Daine?"

Daine was bright red but she also knew how to annoy Alanna. Using her wild magic, she called all of the palace dogs, telling them that Alanna was hiding food in her clothes so they had better come and find it.

The next moment the doors thudded open and in came hundreds of dogs, all charging at Alanna. They jumped on her fiercely until she gave them her breakfast. Then they went away. When she stood up, her clothes were in tatters. She looked at Daine.

"Very funny." She said sarcastically as she left. She didn't notice the large hole in her breech's seat. But everyone else in the dining hall did. Raoul was the first to react. He laughed so loud the bench on which he shared with Daine and Numair shook.

Alanna looked around at him. "What is so funny that you couldn't hold it in until I was at least out of earshot?" she asked venomously.

"You…….you're…..you're breeches……..they're ripped." He gasped.

"Well of course their ripped, Diane set those damn dogs on me. Or did you not witness that?" She cried in exasperation.

"No…no I mean they're ripped……in the back." He said between fits of laughter.

Alanna looked around at her butt. Seeing the large hole, she swore and then stormed out of the room.

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Daine and Numair were sitting under a large willow tree, alone. They had thought that nobody had seen them ender its large curtains of branches that one could not see through. But they were wrong. Numair sat against the trunk of the tree while Daine was on top of him, kissing passionately. Her hands were around his neck while his were at his waist. Suddenly he was pulling her shirt off. She let him and did the same with his. Soon her breast band was off, too.

Suddenly icy water drenched the couple. Looking around for the source while still clinging to Numair to cover her chest, Daine saw the same group of people who had met with the page earlier that morning. Raoul, Jon, and George looked uncomfortable at seeing her topless. Thayet and Onua were silently laughing. Alanna looked pleased with herself for paying Daine back.

"Do you mind? Daine asked. She looked at the men. "I'm putting on my shirt now and if you have any sense you will turn around."

"Why doesn't Numair have to turn around?" Raoul asked slyly as they obeyed. For that he got a slap on the face from the now decent Daine.

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OK everyone you promised to review so click on the pretty button and type a few sentences for my sake, please.

PS I learned that Technician Fan is really three people sharing one user so that means three whole living, breathing people like my story

YAY

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	5. Green Tinge matches Daine's Eyes nicely

Hello! Ok so I recently found out that I somehow blocked reviews from people without usernames. So if you tried to review and it said something like that, please try again because I fixed it

Elfprinzess: no it is nowhere near finished.

Kim: yes it is my first fanfiction.

YAY! Two reviews! Keep it up people.

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Daine felt almost as uncomfortable as the day when Alanna and such had found her and Numair under the Willow tree. Almost. She stood behind an opaque, but flimsy, screen. She was pulling on a dress that Queen Thayet had to royally order her to try on. Unlike most dresses made for her, which were shades of blues and greys(A/N I like this spelling of it better), this dress was a vivid red. It was strapless and barely covered half of her breasts. The skirts were sheer but thickly layered so that they too were unable to be seen through, like the screen which at that moment Daine stepped out from behind. Thayet, Onua, and Alanna, who had recently gotten over her anger at Daine, applauded.

"Why are you clapping? I don't really like it that much." Daine lied. She loved it. But she could not see herself wearing it in public.

"Are you joking?" Thayet asked "You look beautiful. And I know a certain magical mage who would most strongly disagree with you."

Alanna snorted. "I think our magical mage would be more interested in getting the dress _off_" Daine blushed a shade to match her dress.

Later that day, Daine was sitting in front of Onua's Vanity. Cosmetics were being applied by Onua while Thayet did her hair. Alanna was trying on her brilliant purple dress to match her eyes. It hung from skinny bejeweled straps, folded beautifully at the bodice, and full skirts. And she simply hated the color, complaining that her dresses were always purple. Everyone ignored this rant. It was one that she used often to get out of social events. Even though everyone at court now knew her true sex, Alanna was no more apt to attending social events. (A/ N I'm not sure if the word apt fits there)

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The thick oak doors opened. They then closed with a loud thud. Heads turned to see a girl of seventeen standing shyly in front of them. Her grey-blue eyes were cast down as her smoky curls tumbled around her shoulders, with jewels adorning these locks. Many men's eyes lingered on her, especially her revealed bosom. But Daine looked for one man's dark eyes particularly. She locked eyes with Numair Salmalin. He raised his eyebrows at her revealing attire. She shrugged. He smiled and looked as though he was suppressing a laugh.

Young men immediately swarmed the beautiful new arrival. Though Daine didn't know it, the Queen had left her throne to discuss something with a certain magical mage.

"Numair, what are you doing over here?" She hissed

"Well I was retrieving a drink for myself. Is there something wrong with that, your majesty?"

"What's wrong with that is that several dashing young men are swarming your lover and you are doing nothing about it."

"Lover your majesty? Oh, I suppose you speak of Daine. I can assure you that she is very much a virgin as princess Kalasin."

"That is not what I mean. And you know very well that you have slept with her. And how dare you drag my daughter's virginity into this conversation. When are you going to publicly announce that you are courting Daine."

"Well right now I think I will go study my spell books." He said indignantly and swept out of the ballroom

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Daine walked to Numair's rooms, feeling odd. Numair was there, a book in front of him but looking distracted. Suddenly her stomach upended all that she had eaten that night."

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THE END. Hope I didn't miss anyone who reviewed but this is who has reviewed at this moment.

- em


	6. Gary the Seer

M'kay M'kay I'm sorry for not writing but I had finals and absolutely hadddd to study. I am leaving on the 10th and wont be back until the 30th but I will try to write lots cause I get out of school on the 3rd! lylas or lylab depending on if ur a girl or boy. Btw thank you to Lucksta 4eva for the awesome albeit short review.

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Daine fled from Alanna's room eyes full of unshed tears and sobs wretching her throat. On her way out of the halls she passed few people, the only person she knew in the corridor was Gareth of Naxen. _Thank gods Numair isn't here_ she thought. She finally slowed down having reached her destination. The stables.

"Cloud, we're leaving." She said in a voice still thick from crying. For once Cloud did not argue or comment at all. When she was saddled enough for Daine's liking, they rode off, Cloud's hooves thundering. Cloud thought spoke to a dog in the stables.

"Alert the stork man that Daine is leaving." Daine was so preoccupied with not being seen that she didn't hear them.

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Alanna ran to the royal chambers. She burst in without even knocking.

"I am King and decree that you leave we are discussing private mat – oh, Alanna, it's you." The king sat back down in his chair.

" What 'Private Matters' are we discussing?" Alanna asked, momentarily sidetracked from why she had come here in the first place

"Veralidaine is very upset. Gary saw her running through the halls crying." Thayet said calmly, but she looked worried for the young woman's sake.

"Well, it doesn't take a genius to figure this out. Numair obviously hurt her. I shall go talk to him." Jon said, looking proud of himself for coming up with an answer and solution so quickly.

"Apparently it does take a genius to figure it out. Or at least, it takes me. Numair didn't hurt her. Well not really, anyway. He didn't know." Alanna stated. Seeing everyone look at her in shock and anticipation she announced "Daine's pregnant."

Silence. Jon was the first to react. "Oh. Well my guess was close anyway."

Thayet looked at her husband with a look that could peel paint "Is that all you care about. A teenage girl is pregnant, runaway, and hasn't told anyone………… Someone has to tell Numair."

Nobody spoke up. No one wanted to be the one to tell him that his lover had run away because he had gotten her with child. Alanna sat down like everyone else. Jon, however, seemed to have decided that there was some way of a solution (A/N I know that wording is weird but whatever) " I will ask Raoul and his group of the own to go look for her." He stated, with all of the authority he could muster in such a situation.

" I'll go with them." Seeing everyone's questioning looks she added " I am a healer, you know." The group dispersed. Thayet went to Numair's rooms.

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Nuamir sat at his desk when he heard scratching at his door. He opened it to see a scrawny looking dog. It barked loudly. Numair had no idea what this meant. He wished Daine was there to tell him what the dog meant. Then it hit him. The dog was there because Daine needed him. He was walking towards the door when Thayet stopped him.

"S'cuse me, Thayet. Daine needs me." He said trying to get past her. She held up an alabaster hand (A/N for those of you who don't know alabaster means like white and Thayet is supposed to have really pale sking, I think………)

" Numair, Diane has run away." She stated bluntly. He sat down in a nearby chair. "But there is more you should know. Numair, …….. Daine is pregnant." She sighed. " She went to see Alanna this morning and when Alanna told her, she ran. The own is after her with Alanna right now. Do you know how this happened?" She asked gently.

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DUN, DUN, DUN! Cliffhanger! Is the baby Numair's?" If so, how could Diane have become pregnant. ( those of you who are sharp will probably get this. Not saying that people who don't get it aren't smart. Just people who are observant will get it. God, I'm making a botch of this.) LOVES YA! REVIEW! - em


	7. Runaway double meaning horse and girl

Elfprinzess – haha neither do I but I think I will add a bunch of chapters today (June 2, 2009) btw are you implying that you do not get my whole conspiracy of this??? One of my most devoted readers??? I'm am greatly saddened and have therefore decided that I will add a new character based on you!

Disclaimer: OKAY I have not written a disclaimer but for all of the chapters that I didn't this is not mine yatayatayata blah blah blah …….

Andale!

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Daine came to a sheltered area of the woods. It was a small circle, about ten feet in diameter (A/N that means if you took a stick from one side the the opposite side of the circle, it would be 10 feet long) Large, gnarled trees grew around it and made it harder for any swiftly moving horse to come towards her and cloud. Daine sat between the large twisty roots of one tree and sobbed. It drew a wretched sound from her throat.

When she had cried herself dry, she lay down on a patch of grass and fell asleep, hiccupping silently. Usually when in the woods, Daine could hear animals talking. But tonight it seemed that they knew to leave her alone. Cloud stood next to her to guard. This comforted her greatly. She put her hand to her neck, where the badger's claw hung alone. With a sigh, she fell asleep almost instantly. Who knew such a small thing could make her so tired.

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Raoul was greatly worried. Who knew what kind of havoc an extremely powerful wild mage could wreak? Alanna looked just as concerned but also a little guilty. Raoul knew why. She felt that it had been her fault for not stopping Diane after she had told her she was-is pregnant. Raoul drifted into his own thoughts about what a powerful mage and wild mage's baby would be like as they set up camp, not knowing they were just yards away from the place where Daine slept.

Cloud knew. Cloud sensed Darkmoon and recognized him. Checking to make sure that Daine was still asleep, Cloud left her to go to Darkmoon.

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Alanna looked up, startled. She heard hooves. But not the kind of hooves of an army, or even a small pack of burglars, these were the hooves of a lone horse with no rider. _A runaway, most likely _ she thought as she looked for it. What she found surprised her. In stead of the mistreated, scrawny horse she expected to find there was Daine's horse, Cloud. When the horse saw her, he galloped to her. Alanna went and woke the own. Together they silently trotted to the clearing where Daine was, led by Cloud.

There she was, laying on the grass, her brown curls strewn over her face and her full lips parted. Raoul stooped, picked her up, and set the pregnant wildmage on his saddle in front of him. They slowly went back to camp.

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OK elfprinzess your character is in the next chapter, I promise. YOU LIKE? R – E – V – I – E – W what does that spell it spells clickthatlittlebuttonthatisrightunderthisslurredwordI'mwriting!


	8. Palace Cats are Very useful

Dear Charlie Hayworth,

No, I am not mistaken. The Immortals may be a series by whoever you said but it is also a series by Tamora Pierce about a girl named Daine

( Veralidaine Sarrasri actually) who's house and family was burned by bandits, so she became an assistant to Onua Chamtong. She then learns

from Numair Salmalin, a very powerful mage, that she is a wildmage, which means she can speak/shapeshift to/into animals. In the 4th book she

and Numair profess their love for each other. Though you probably aren't reading this so I don't know why I am writing this anyway.

Lots of Love and Annoyance, Emma 3

Disclaimer: IS NOT MINE IS TAMMY PIERCE'S!

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Daine woke to find herself not on the grass where she had fallen asleep, but in strong, tan arms. She looked up to see the focused face of Raoul

of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak. Feeling her movement, he looked down at her, his face blank but he looked like he was deciding what to do.

Daine saw that they were riding, the palace within view. The memories of the past day came back. Tears flowed silently down her face. They were

in the palace gates now. Daine was thankful that no one seemed to notice her crying. There was a group of people waiting for them but Daine did

not see them. Her cheeks, jaw, nose, and lips were now soaked with salty tears. A tall figure walked forward and lifted her down from the saddle.

Numair. He looked at her face and saw the blots of water. He hugged her tightly. Only now did she openly cry, taking short, uneven breaths. One

of Numair's hands were on the small of her back, the other in her hair. Her arms were both flung around his neck. When she pulled back from him

to look at her face, he kissed her sweetly. Only now did they realize that they had an audience of a group of the own and a royal party and

company. Jon and Thayet talked quietly, Gary looked down at his feet, Onua looked at Daine with an odd look that Diane could not describe, and

George was greeting his wife. Daine's stomach hurt with hunger. She moaned and held her stomach. Numair led her towards the dining hall,

holding her hand. When they walked in, all heads turned towards them and all eyes discreetly followed them throughout the meal. They sat at

their own table.

" Daine, how could this have happened? You always wear your anti-pregnancy charm." Numair looked grim

"I think that one night, right after they found us out, and you asked me to come at midnight as an animal. It must have fallen off when I changed

into an eagle. I'm so sorry Numair. I think that I will move to a village and become some sort of animal person. Maybe I'll go to Carthak. That way

you'll never have to see me again." Daine looked at the floor as she talked.

" Daine look at me." Strong fingers came under her chin and lifted her head up. " I love you and don't want you to ever leave me like that again.

Daine…." He paused and clasped her small delicate hands in his own large ones. "Daine, will you marry me?" He asked. Daine blinked, surprise.

"I….I don't want you to marry me just because I'm pregnant, Numair." She looked regretful

"Daine I have wanted to marry you for a month now, I have asked you to marry me many times. Why do you think that I just want to marry you

because you carry my child (A/N yes, it IS numairs child) ? I love you."

Daine's blue-grey eyes filled with tears. She smiled. "Yes. Yes, I will marry you Numair."

Numair smiled and kissed her hand. She giggled. "But, it has to be a small wedding." She said seriously.

Numair looked at her. "I couldn't agree more."

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Daine sat curled up in a chair, fast asleep. She had fallen asleep almost instantly as she had sat down. She hadn't even stayed awake to tell

everyone, Jon, Thayet, Alanna, George, Onua, Raoul, Gary, Buri, Sarge, Miri, and Evin, who were most of the people to be invited to the wedding,

that she had finally agreed to wed Numair. She had left him to do that alone. He felt nervous without her awake to defend him and almost woke

her up before realizing that she _was_ pregnant and needed her sleep.

"So, what have you decided to do?" Onua asked. Numair almost smiled. Onua was so straightforward.

He took a deep breath "Daine and I have decided to get married. Alanna glanced at George to make sure she had heard right, Thayet and Jon

looked simply relaxed, Evin squeezed Miri's hand, Gary looked down as he felt out of place (A/N why did I even start with the whole Gary being

involved???), Buri, Sarge, and Raoul grinned. Alanna was the first to speak.

"Have you even thought this out or did you just do it on a whim?" She asked heatedly

"Alanna I-" Numair began

"How can you do this. She's pregnant and you take advantage of it by marrying her!" Alanna yelled furiously. Her raised tone woke Daine. She

stirred then yawned. Everyone went silent, staring at her.

"Look what you did now, Alanna. You've woken her up." Numair replied annoyed.

Daine rubbed her eyes. "Alanna, I'm not just saying yes because I'm pregnant." She stated. Everyone gaped at her, not daring to believe that

she had heard the Lioness while she was asleep. Seeing their confused looks she added "Palace cats are _very_ useful for information."

"Well." Said Thayet matter-of-factly "We should plan the wedding then, shouldn't we?"

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I love you all, adoring fans of mine. Keep reading AND REVIEWING! Over 1000 words in this chapter YAY! i also made the spacing bigger becasue i

find that it is easier to read it that way. tell me what you think of the format, the story, the everything. you can even tell me about how proud you

are of me for getting an A- on the Superhard history/geography exam & finding two mistakest that moved my grade from a 90% to a 91% (such

and important difference)Love , Emma


	9. Betting and Things Unbeknown

MORE REVIEWS PEOPLE.

Elfprinzess – I forgot to make your character I got so caught up in the story so I will try to fit you in this one. Thank you for faithfully reading my

story. YAY!

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One week later, Daine and Numair were married. They had decided to have the wedding sooner rather than later, before Daine started to show.

All of their friends were there, though sadly Daine's parents were unable to come from the Divine Realms. Daine and Numair were dancing at the

reception. Daine's maid Ell (that's you Elfprinzess) looked puzzled. She had just been told that Daine was pregnant and could not understand

because she knew her mistress owned a charm against pregnancy. George, Jon, Raoul, and Gary stood in a corner.

"So, who's betting that it's a boy and who's betting for a girl?" Jon asked. At that moment a slim arm snaked around his waist. George was also

caught by his wife.

"I'm betting that if two men don't get their asses on the dance floor with their wives they won't be alive to see the sex of the child." Alanna

replied pertly. The two couples left. Raoul shrunk into the shadows of the hanging so as not to be found by some matchmaking mother. Gary

seemed to see someone with whom he needed to discuss something.

Roald and Kally were dancing together, as were little Alianne and Alan. Thom looked left out. He ran up to Daine in the middle of the dance.

Daine felt a tug on the long, air-like skirt of her wedding dress. She looked down to see Thom looking up at her hopefully. Daine smiled and in one

swift, fluid movement scooped him up in her arms and swayed to the music with him. Numair left to get a drink. Watching them dance, Numair

knew that Daine would be a great mother. She was sweet and caring and always wanted to help.

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(4 months later) (during the four months Daine and Numair did menial thing to prepare for the baby that I don't feel like writing or this would be a

really long story)

Daine waddled towards Alanna's rooms as fast as a five months pregnant woman could. Numair walked beside her, so slowly he looked like he

was practicing a funeral march. He still kept pace with her, with his long legs.

"Are we going to find out the sex of the baby? Please Numair I really want to know." Daine pleaded.

Numair stopped her with his strong arms and kissed her sweetly. "Whatever you want, magelet." He whispered.

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Alannna looked up at Daine from her view of the younger woman's midsection. "Would you like to know the sex of the baby?" She inquired. Daine

nodded. Numair squeezed her hand with anticipation. Alanna placed her callused hand on her swollen stomach. Purple fire flowed from her

figertips. After a moment, she got a puzzled look on her face. "Daine," She paused, not sure how to put this. "You know how you have to

shapeshift your lower half because the baby does? Well, um, the child can also change sex." She looked worried. " there are most likely spells we

can put on the baby but not until he or she is born." She finished softly. Daine looked disappointed. Numair looked worried.

"Most likely?" He asked hoarsly

"I'm sorry. Nothing like this has really happened before." Alanna replied.

The couple nodded, they understood. There were no other wild mages as powerful as Veralidaine Sarrasri, daughter of Weiryn, god of the hunt.

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So, what do you think. Do you think it has jumped the shark. Tell me if so. Elforinzess you are now famous, thanks to me. Keep reading and

REVIEWing - Emma


	10. A talk with the Player and the Godess

Elfprinzess – you should now start your own fanclub or something. I'm sure that many people will join.

Elven Maden – Thank you for the answer. I didn't mean for it to sound like that. By the way, I understand what you mean about the servant

knowing who they are but I don't really feel like going and changing that so lets pretend that this is a daft servant or something. I know your

going to say that the king and queen wouldn't have a daft servant wait on them but whatever! And what's new? I'm confuzzeled.

REVIEW PEOPLE I ONLY HAVE 11 REVIEWS NOW AND I LUV THEM!

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Daine sat on the bench, bored. She had very little wild magic now because she had to use it to shapeshift with her unborn child. She didn't know

who to go to to entertain herself. Numair was off at battle. She was very worried for him. What if he didn't come back to see his child born?

Thayet was not seeing anyone save the king at the moment. She had been three months pregnant and had recently lost the child. She was quite

depressed. She couldn't talk to the animals because it used up her wild magic. Alanna, too, was at battle. The only person she could think to go to

was Onua. She stood up despite her seven months pregnant body's protests and toddled towards the stable of the Queen's Riders.

When she came to the door of the stables, all of the Riders stared. They were not used to little Daine, the horsemistress' assistant, being

pregnant. Evin was the first to acknowledge her. He walked up to her and bowed.

"M'lady." He said with mock seriousness, offering her his arm. " I take it you are here to see our charming horsemistress Onua?" Daine nodded.

" There's no one else to talk to." She stated. "And gods forbid I actually do anything."

Evin seemed to find her first sentence more important then the last. "You didn't think of me to talk to? I'm crushed." He said, now feigning hurt. He

pouted as he walked with her

"No, Evin, its just that I thought you would be to busy to – ah" Daine gasped. She fell to her knees.

"Daine, what's wrong?" He asked, now seriously concerned. The other riders were looking around their mounts to see what was happening.

Daine's face went from shock to annoyance as she changed her body from the midsection down into a horse. She looked like a centaur. "The

baby's shape shifting again, dammit. How am I supposed to care for this child once it's born if I can barley manage while it's in my womb?" she

asked with exasperation.

At that moment, her legs and stomach changed into an alligator and Onua walked out of her office. "Daine, can you come into my office please?

You're scaring the horses." That was true. All of the horses were fighting their owner's grips from fright. They obviously did not like alligators.

Daine nodded as she changed back to human form. Her child had stopped changing shape. She sat down in a chair opposite of Onua.

"What am I going to do, Onua? I can't take care of this child. And Numair is off at war all of the time. I can' do this." Daine was oblivious to the fact

that tears ran down her face until one fell on her dress, creating a dark stain. Onua handed her a handkerchief, which Daine accepted.

Onua was about to reply, though she was not exactly sure of what to say when a bright white light filled the office. There stood Daine's Mother,

the green lady.

"Veralidaine Sarrasri I am ashamed of you." She said, but there was laughter in her eyes " You are too soft with these children, I tell you."

Daine gaped at her. "What am I supposed to do, Ma?" She asked, stunned. She had forgotten that it was Midsummer (A/N I know that's not the

real word that they use but I can't think of what it is.) and that minor gods could travel from the Divine Realms today.

Sarra did not answer. Instead she placed a soft hand palm down on Daine's stomach. White bright magic like the light she had used to appear in

front of them flowed into her midsection. She then smiled. " I have returned your child to her original form. She cannot shapeshift until she is ten,

now."

Daine beamed at her mother "It's a girl, then?"

" Yes, you will have a daughter in about two months time."

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I know this isn't how it is in _Trickster's Choice _but whatever.

Lylas or Lylab - Emma


	11. A very awkward rider

Elfprinzess – Numair was, like, forced to go to war by Jon. I have decided that Jon is very testy at the moment, considering his wife had just had a miscarriage.

Jolanar – Thanks. What religion do you practice? Beltane sounds like a very fun holiday!

13 reviews and counting!

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A horse with a very awkward rider galloped at full speed towards the palace (A/N can you guess who it is?........c'mon try before you read on!). The rider dismounted at the palace stables, quickly handing the reigns to an hostler and running for the dining hall. It was dinnertime. _Surely Daine will be there_ Numair thought as he burst through the doors.

There she was, sitting with Evin and Miri, her back to him. She didn't even turn around as he came in. She was so used to riders coming in late and it hurt her to turn around, being eight months pregnant. Jon had let Numair come back to see Daine and the baby born. He had until a month after the baby was born until he may be sent to war again.

Miri saw him though. She was sitting across from Daine.

"Daine." She said, grinning. "Somebody's here to see you." Daine looked confused. She had not been told that her husband was coming back. She turned slowly in her seat. The instant she saw Numair her look of puzzlement turned to one of sheer joy. She stood up and began to wobble towards him. He was faster. He took three long strides before embracing his wife. Their lips met and for a few blissful moments they did not realize that everyone was watching them. But then there was clapping. Wolf whistles and cheers erupted from the riders. They broke apart, embarrassed. Onua stood up from her place beside Evin to greet her friend. Numair was then invited to share the rest of the meal with them. He told them of the happenings on the battlefield and of the safety of all of their friends. They told him about everyone at the palace.

"Daine, Thayet asked me to tell you that there is a ball tonight, the first one she will be attending since the miscarriage, and she wants you to attend. She will definitely want Numair to come, now that he's back." Stated Onua.

Daine looked at Numair " D'you want to come to the ball with me, Numair?" She asked hopefully.

"It would be my pleasure to escort you to the ball tonight, Veralidaine Sarrasri." He kissed her hand. She giggled "How is our child?" He said putting a hand on her midsection.

Diane told him everything that had happened that day in the Rider's stables. He looked overjoyed. "I will have a daughter!" He announced, very loudly that everyone in the dining looked over at him and giggled. This was not news to them. Everyone knew that Daine now knew the sex of the baby because during his time away Daine had talked to almost all of them to have something to do.

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Sorry for such a short chapter but I want the ball to be its own chapter and I cannot think of anything else to write about the time before the ball

3 - Emma


	12. Loud Music

Helloooo sorry i havent written in forever but my brother stole my laptop and only just realized that we have a computer in my basement. Who knew? Anyway, i will not make any comments during the story as everyone requests but you have to read all of my comments at the end. luv - Emma

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Daine slipped into the deep blue dress the queen had ordered her. Though it made her eight months and two weeks pregnant stomach look smaller, it did not hide it well. She tottered

slowly down the hall with Numair at her side. She could tell that it ws difficult for him to walk so slowly but appreciated his efforts. Daine was starting to regret accepting the invitation to this ball.

There was no way that she would be able to dance when she could barely stand up without support. Once they entered, Daine sat on a cushioned bench, resting a hand on her abdomen. Numair

left to get food for them both. Thayet spotted her and pulled Jonathan to her. Daine got up when they came over, attempting to curtsy like she was supposed to when they were visible in public to

the monarchs. Thayet looked annoyed.

"Veralidaine Sarrasri Salmalin if you do not sit down on that bench this very instant I will force you into it." Said a voice from behind the realms rulers. Alanna and her husband George were

there, too. "You're going to induce labor and you still have two weeks to go. Sit!"

Daine tried to sit but stumbled, only to be caught by George. He looked serious but his eyes were full of laughter as he said "Alanna, you're going to induce labor on her wi' all that yelling

you're doin'. She almos' fell than's to you." Alanna was silent. She seemed to be able to argue with everyone in the world but her husband. She made small talk with all of them until someone came

through saying

"S'cuse me food for the pregnant lady." When Evin stopped Numair and Miri caught up with him. He bowed to Daine "M'lady." he said solemly offering her the plate of food. Daine laughed

and accepted it. A waltz began that caused Thayet and Jon, Alanna and George, and Miri and Evin to go to dance on the floor. Daine liked this song but thought that they were playing it a bit too

loud. She ate and talked to Numair. A speech spell appeared next to her husband. He spoke back to it then looked at Diane.

"They have a bit of a problem in the mages wing. I have to go help. Stay here." He said his eyes meeting hers

"Where can i go?" she asked matching his gaze. He left a a trot. Daine idly at a persimmon watching the dancers."Ouch" she looked at her stomach. Her baby was getting stronger to be

kicking so hard. That was when she noticed that there was wetness between her legs. Her water had broken. Another contraction came "Alanna." She said feebly, too much in pain to it

began to hurt even worse. She began to scream. Problem was the the band was playing extremly loud and nobody was paying attention to her. When the song came to a quiet part Miri and Evin,

who were locked in a heated embrace in a nook in the wall nearby her, looked over.

"Daine, oh my gods, Evin go get Alanna." Miri said kneeling beside her friend. Evin tore through the dancers breaking apart several disgruntled couples to reach the Lioness at the middle

of the dance floor. The knight was a very fast runner for someone just two inched over five feet. She knelt beside Miri then told Daine "I'm going to move you now by magic, ok?" Daine nodded.

The music had stopped now and the entire hall was looking at her. She was moved to a chamber just outside the ballroom and was tended to by Alanna.

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Numair walked back into the hall where the ball was being held. He walked to the bench where he had left Daine to find George sitting there with Evin. "Wheres Daine? What happened?" he asked, worried

"Same place as Alanna and Miri are, but we're not allowed in." Said Evin

"And where the hell are Alanna and Mir and why arent you allowed in?" Numair asked his temper rising

"They're in the room just outside that door and you, George, and I aren't allowed in because Daine's giving birth. Numair sat down mutely and didn't say another word. An hour later Miri came running in.

"You all can come in now." She said. "But I wouldn't advise it. Daine doesn't want any visitors but Alanna says you can come in if you like." She shrugged. Evin and George looked hesitant but Numair pushed past Miri and into the room where Daine was.

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Ok i have a question for everyone after the next chapter should i continue this??? please answer. plot ideas for after the baby's birth or ideas for the baby's name are welcome! - EM


	13. She has

Ok here i go im starting the end of the first part of this story! I feel so self-accomplished. Yes, laugh as you may this story was hard.  
Whatever you don't care to hear me ramble so here is the story *****************************************************************************************************************************************

Numair burst into the room, Evin, Miri, and George behind him. On a cot in the middle of the small room Daine laid asleep. Alanna sat in a

stool beside her holding a small bundle of blankets. Purple eyes met black and the knight-healer handed the child to her father. Nuamir

looked into the face to see his black eyes staring up at him, but not on a face with a large nose but with a face that matched her mother's.

Her hair was dark, she could have inherited that from either parent. She smiled when she looked up at him, a wide, toothless grin. Daine

stirred.

"Numair?" she asked drowsily.

"I'm here, sweetling." he said taking Alanna's vacated stool. The party behind them slowly walked through the door, being silently urged by

Alanna. She held her arms out for her child.

"We have a daughter, Numair. What'll we name her?" she asked, gazing down at the smiling infant.

"It is you choice, magelet." He said simply.

" Sarralyn, after my mother. Sarralyn Salmalin." she said, her eyelids fluttering. Numair lifted the child from his wife's hold as

she fell back to sleep.

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Numair came through the large oak doors to the ballroom holding his newborn child. Thayet saw him first, dragging Jon along with her

as she went to greet Sarralyn. She was followed by all of Daine and Numair's other friends, including the Queen's Riders, who were ever so curious

about the child Daine had long awaited. When the midnight bell struck, Numair took the now sleeping infant back to her mother. Daine awoke

at the first call of her name.

"Daine, its midnight. Would you like to sleep her or come back to our rooms?" Numair asked quietly. She sat up and, with quite a bit of assistance

on Numair's part, walked back to thier rooms. They laid Sarralyn down in her crib in the newly installed child's room. Daine leaned her head

against Numair's chest, gazing at her daughter. He kissed the top of her head. She looked up at him.

"She has your eyes." she said quietly.

"She has your face." He countered. She smiled at him. Standing on tip-toe, she kissed him. "And she has us as parents."

*  
THE END OF PART ONE. I WILL TRY TO CONTINUE IT! Comments and _**CONSTRUCTIVE**_ critism are welcome as well as ideas for what should happen (even though i already have some.) love, Em


	14. I'm Sorry

Dear Readers,

I am very sorry to have left the story like this. When i get my new laptop sometime in September you can be that i will write a LOT. In the meantme, have you read my other story?If you have any ideas, comments, or just anything you want to say you can review or PM me!

Love, Emma.


	15. The life of young Sarralyn

I'm back (though probably not for long cause i still dont have my laptop)  
anyway disclaimer: I don't think I've written one in while. Anyway this goes for everything in this story: The characters and setting and pretty much everything is not mine. even if i will it in my head...

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Kel was discussing the advantages of a longbow and a crossbow with Neal and Dom when there was a high pitched giggle and light footfalls. Kel looked up, No one was there. she heard the giggle again. she looked around to see a toddler with black curly hair, dark eyes, and a familiar face run towards her. The little girl stopped a foot from the group. Kel, Neal, and Dom all gaped at her.

"What's you're name?" Neal asked, crouching so that his face was level with her's.

"Sarra." That was no help

"What's your mommy's name?" he asked patiently

"Mommy!"

"Wha-" Neal was cut off by a shout

"Sarralyn, where are you?"

"I'm over here, Ma." she called. Kel guessed that she was three. Daine the wildmage came up the hill with a baby in her arms. She smiled widely at them

"Hello Neal, Kel, Dom, I see you've met Sarralyn. This one here is Rikash." She said, adjusting the baby boy's place on her hip.

"Mommy, Mommy, Cloud's coming." the girl exclaimed. Daine smiled apologetically to the trio

"She just learned to sense should go, Sarra, Daddy's coming home today. The girl took her mother's hand.

"g'bye guys, see you later." she called walking back to the castle.

"Remember when you used to have a crush on her, Neal?"

"Ah, yes I distinctly rember some extremly bad poetry I had to listen to."

Neal glared at them the spread his arms out and looked at the sky "Why must the world be unjust to me?" he called

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Nine year old Sarralyn Salmalin flew over the palace. She turned, entered a window and landed in her room. Then she transformed back to the skinny but tall nine year old she really was. She dressed and ran down the hall. She had to find someone to tell her news to. She pounded on the heavy wooden door. Thayet opened it.

"Hello, Sarra, how are you?"

"Not good, hurroks, four of them, about a mile northwest from here."

The king frowned "How do you know this? You weren't shapeshifting, were you?"

"That's not the point there are hurroks on their way here and all you care about is whether or not i used my magic?" Sarra exclaimed, trying to get out of punishment. "

Fine, I'll go deal with it but your parents will here from me later."

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Sorry its really short i will update within the next month at very most i promise! love, Emma


	16. Examples

The pages and squires filed into Professor Salmalin's classroom. Only one of them noticed a fourteen year old girl, around six inces over five feet, sitting in the corner, sulking by the looks of it.

"Who's she?" he called out as they took their seats.

"Hm? Oh, right, This is my daughter Sarralyn, Sarra for short. Sarra will be joining us for quite a while since she obviously cannot be _left unattended_." He said the last part while looking pointetly at her. She grimaced. "Today we will be learning about-" but the rest of what Numair was going to say was cut off by oohs and ahhs as the girl in the chair dissapeared and a mouse that had taken her place scurried out the open door.

"If you will excuse me for a moment." Numair said, taking long strides from the room. He came back a minute later with a tight hold on Sarra's wrist. She pulled her wrist out of his grasp. Black magic came towards her, only to be rebuked by whiteish-copper magic. Sarralyn stormed across the classroom and plopped down next to some of the boys about her age with her arms crossed.

"Sarralyn has kindly given us an example of what we will learn today, shapeshifting."

"Though that was obviously not my intentions." she muttered, stirring some laughter out of those close enough to hear.

"Are you going to be difficult this entire time?" he asked wearily

"If it makes you let me go, yes." was the cool reply.

Suddenly she got an idea, while staring outside at the open window. Sarra's clothes crumpled to the ground as she changed into a light speedy bird. She picked them up in her beak and flew out the window.

"I'm not even going to try." Numair murmered while getting on with his class.  
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sorry its short but i still LOVVVEEE reviews so you know where that pretty green button is so just press it!


	17. Meetings and Introductions

I'm baaaaccckkkkkk! It turns out that technology didn't forget about the fact that they owed me a new laptop so our tech person (at school) came into study hall today and gave me my brand new laptop! hehe i love it! and i love the tech people for getting this to me so fast cause i didn't expect it until AT LEAST tuesday. And, if you like my story, you love the tech people too! hehe onto the story!cause you probably dont care that i have a new shiny dell laptop (not to brag....)

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"Class Dismissed." said wearily. What was he going to do about Sarralyn. She had a mind of her own, just like her mother. On that thought, he sould probably go and see her. She had just gotten back and he hadn't the chance to properly greet her.

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A tall man with curly hair and tan skin approached the skinny girl.

"Hello, what's your name, youngling. I don't think I've seen you before." Truth be told, Raoul hadn't seen Sarralyn since she was a year old. She had either been gone to her family's tower or with classes or he had been off with the own.

"Oh, but you have seen me before." she said slyly, recognizing him from descriptions "You just haven't seen me for thirteen years." While Raoul puzzeled this out, the pages and squires approched the girl.

"That was awesome!" exclaimed a boy with brown-blond(e) hair "Are you a mage AND a wildmage?" This clue was a huge giveaway to the large knight.

"Sarralyn! Daine and Numair's daughter. You're thirteen now?" he asked

"Fourteen. And I know a certian rider commander who would be most pleased to know you are back." she hinted.

"Right. I'll have to talk to you later."

"So you really are Professor Salmalin's daughter?" questioned a very pale, freckled black hair boy.

"Yes," Sarra picked up a daisy and twirled it between her fingers. "And they won't let me use any of my power." she added mournfully. "You all are pages and squires? she asked

"Well," a short copper haired boy who was looking down said, "I'm not." The boy added looking up, purple eyes meeting Sarralyn's dark ones.

"Aunt Alanna!" she exclaimed, springing to her feet. "How are you? How's Thom, and Aly and Alan? How's George?" Sarra bombarded her with questions

"I'm fine. Thom's in Carthak, studying at their university. Alan's on border patrol at the moment. Aly is in the Copper Isles and expecting another child, this time only one." Sarra smiled. She began to walk towards the palace with the Champion. She tripped on a large stone. A boy with brown hair with red streaks that needed to be cut and very pale green eyes caught her and put her to rights.

"Sarra this is Jakob. He is my squire. And I'm stuck with him for three mor years." Alanna muttered. Sarra introduced herself and shook hands, asking him questions about himself. He was from feif dunlath and was fifteen. He and Sarra shared their love for animals and Alanna was soon glad that they had met.

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I feel like this story is going downhill. Oh well, love you all and keep reviewing!


	18. Naming

Sorry I haven't updated in forever and I bet everyone has given up hope with this but fear not, peasants, for I will free you from this metal beast! (ok, the last part is from Enchanted and my friend quotes it all the time and now its stuck in my head). Anyway, please keep reading even if I do take forever to update. While waiting, start a new book, write a novel, create a rocketship to go to mars so that you, too, can TRANSFER TO PIGFARTS (ok, if you havent seen A Very Potter Musical I HIGHLY recommend it. even if you dont like harry potter. even if you do like harry potter. Its on youtube, the entire play, and the soundtrack is available for free on their website), rewrite the dictionary, or read fanfiction (I wonder which one of these you are most likely to do...) I do have three other stories. One is a Kel/Dom, one is an Aly/Nawat and one is an iPod Shuffle chapter thingy. So, please continue reading and I will try to be loyal and keep typing. Watch this whole speech be longer than the actual chapter.

Disclaimer: OMG Its the 18th chapter! That MUST mean everything is mine now, right!?! No, its not mine, sorry, it belongs to Tammy Pierce.

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Sarra sat on a bench in the gardens, a squirrel sitting on the palm of her hand. This particular squirrel's name was Acorn. He was one of her best friends, both animal and human. He always had advice to give on everything and always had news to share, for he was quite the gossip. Right then, he was telling her about the new the new babies his wife had recently given birth to. They were still deciding on names, though Leaf was definitely going to be one of them. She grinned down at him.

"What does he say?" Jakob sat down next to her on the bench. The sun brought out the red in his hair.

"He just had more children. Squirrel children, that is. He's asking me if I have any ideas for names. Have you any?" She asked, glancing up at him when she asked her question.

"How about Acorn?" He suggested

"But that's his name!" She exclaimed. "It'd be fair confusing to have two Acorns in one family!"

"How about Acorn Junior, then?" He asked, half joking. Sarra looked down at Acorn. _Hmm _He said _Acorn Junior. Junior for short. I like it. Thanks to you and your mate._

_He's not my mate! _She exclaimed in her mind, not daring to say that in front of him. _I just met him! _

_Then he is courting you, and you will soon be mates._ Acorn said matter-of-factly

_And I suppose now you are a seer? _She asked sarcastically. "Off with you." She said aloud, placing him on the ground. He looked at her, cocked his head, wondering whether or not to answer her. He decided not and fled.

"What does he think of my humble suggestion for a squirrel name?" He asked, looking Sarra in the eyes.

She grinned, lighting up her entire face. "He very much likes it. His childrens' names are now Leaf and Acorn Junior."

"Oh, I like Leaf. Did you think of that one?" He asked, looking genuinely interested.

"No, he and his mate did when they found her with a leaf on her head." Her stomach growled. "I'm hungry." She said unnecessarily.

"Then," He said, standing up, "we shall get food." He bowed to her mockingly "M'lady." He held his arm out for her. She took it, laughing.

"So, how long are you here?" She asked, hoping it would be for a while.

"Lady Alanna is needed at the palace for a few months. So, I suppose somewhere around three months. Ah, here we are." Sarra let her arm drop to her side when his did and pushed open the other large oak door. They got food and found an empty table to sit at.

"Hello, squire, what did you do today?" Alanna asked, sitting across from them.

"I," He said, standing straight and puffing out his chest. "named a squirrel." He said, as though it was the most honorable and chivalrous thing to do.

"You named a squirrel." Alanna repeated back, disbeleivingly.

"Yes. Well, you see, Sarra was talking to Acorn the squirrel-"

"Acorn the squirrel?" She asked "The same Acorn the squirrel you adopted as a baby when you were ten?" Alanna asked Sarralyn.

"The very same." She said, remembering the day she had first fully healed an animal.

"Anyway, as _I _was saying," Jakob went on, " So Acorn was asking Sarra for names for his two new babies. And so she asked me what I thought he should name one. And I said 'Acorn'. And she said, 'But that's his name'. So I suggested Acorn Junior. And, of course, me being so marvelous, Acorn simply loved it. And that is how his babies names came to be Leaf and Acorn Junior."

"But how did the other one come to be named Leaf?" Alanna asked.

"She got a leaf on her head when she wandered out of their nest." Sarra explained.

"You, young lady, are to attend my class for the rest of the semester, and I'll have no objections, you deserve it." Numair said to his daughter as he sat down.

"What did she do?" Alanna asked, looking to Sarra.

It was Jakob who answered. "She shapeshifted, into a mouse, and went out the door, and then Master Salmalin went and got her and they had some sort of fight with magic, and Sarra sat down. Then she saw the open window and turned into a bird and flew out the window."

"Why were you there in the first place?" Alanna asked, struggling to hide a smile.

"Ask my father." Sarra said, glaring at the mage.

"She called dogs on her brother!" He exclaimed

"He's twelve. And Rikash is not defensless, he has wild magic and the Gift as well!" She argued

"But its not as fully developed as you. And you broke his arm!" He explained.

Alanna and Jakob choaked on their meals when he said this. Sarra ignored them. "They healed it." She said dissmissivly."Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go help Onua with the horses." She said, standing up. "And the riders. And Sarge. And Buri and the queen." She added as an afterthought.

She walked out of the room. Jakob looked to his knight-mistress. "Is she always so argumental like that?" He asked.

"Yes." Numair said wearily.

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Ok, I just realized that this story has gone really off track, going from a daine/numair fic to a Sarra fic. Weird. Anyway, tell me what you think and thank you for being so patient!


	19. Zephyr

Sorry its taken me forever to update but now i am sick and it is the perfect oppurtunity to write! Anyway, thank you to all of my readers and especially the ones who reveiw. Even though they have reveiwed for a lot of the chapters. Who wants to hear my new favorite number. Its 5,980. Y'know what that number is from? its the number of hits this story has gotten. Thats right, five thousand nine hundred eighty freaking hits! anyway, the story:

Disclaimer: Seriously, really, if you have been reading all of the previous chapters, which im guessing that you have, then you will realize that this is NOT MINE. ok, now we're clear.

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Today, Professor Salmalin's daughter was perched on a windowsill. Her back was agaisnst one side while her feet hit the other, her knees pulled to her chest. Her head was leaning against the cold glass and her dark brown hair covered her face, though it looked as though she was asleep.

"Good morning, everyone." Numair said as he looked up from his papers. Today we will be learning about words of power. Now, who can give me an example of a word of power?" He asked, scanning the room as a few hands went up.

"Well, there's that word of power you used that changed that man, what was his name, oh, yes, Tristan Staghorn into a tree and supposedly that meant that somewhere in the world a tree turned into a human, right?" Apparently, Sarralyn had _not _been asleep. She jumped down from her seat on the window with her last word and took up a perch on a chair next to some first year pages. They looked absolutly terrified to be near such a powerful person, though they did not say so.

"In class we raise our hands, Sarra." He said calmly, staring down his daughter.

"Funny, you didn't raise you hand to ask the class a question or tell me to raise my hand. Doesn't that mean that you are not abiding by your own rules?" Quiet giggles went through the room as she said this.

"The _students _raise their hands in this class." He countered

"But aren't you always saying that you can always learn new things, so doesn't that make you a student? And _I _am not a student, my father is simply forcing me to sit through his class because I attacked my 'poor defenseless little' brother."

Professor Salmalin simply looked at her with an emotion that looked like pleading. His daughter sighed and opened a large book in front of her as the class went on, not making any more comments.

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Sarra dipped her toe into the lake water. Despite the hotness still in the air, the water was icy cold. Still, she could not bare this heat any longer. Stripping down to her breastband and loincloth, she plunged into the water. Her head emerged seconds later with hair that looked black when wet and clear water pouring down her face. She pulled her hair into a bun, securing it with a tie, though a few strands still broke free, before walking out of the pond and dressing in her clothes warm from the sun. They became instantly soaked upon coming in contact with her, but she didn't really mind. Now she wasn't burning hot. She began her walk back up to the palace.

"This look of utter dilipitated and wetness becomes you greatly." Said a familiar and joking voice from somewhat farther up the path. It was Jakob.

"As does your persperation that covers your body. At least _I _am not sweltering in this heat." She called back grinning. She trotted up the path until she reached him. "And what are you doing here?" She asked, suddenly curious.

"I was looking for you." He said, honestly.

"Oh? And why would that be?" She said, raising her eyebrows.

"I wanted to see if you would enjoy coming with me for a ride?" He asked, almost hopefully.

"I suppose I may be able to fit that into my schedule." she said, tapping her chin playfully. "Oh, alright, but you simply must bring me back in time for supper. I shall wilt if I do not eat quite properly." She said, dramatically, imitating a court lady. They raced to the stables, Jakob winning, though not by much. Once they had saddled their horses, they set off for the forest at a gallop.

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"Rain isn't in the stables, I don't know where she is." Numair said, coming back to sit with his wife and Alanna. "Can you sense Rain?" Rain was Sarralyn's horse.

"Yes, but I'm sure she's fine. Just give me a second." Daine said, closing her eyes. "There she is, right in the royal forest. With another horse. One minute." She shut her eyes to the world again. "I don't know this horse. His name is.....Zephyr. I have no idea who he belongs to." She opened her eyes to see the lioness grinning widely. "What?" she asked, and Numair turned to look at Alanna as well.

"Zephyr is Jakob's horse." She said, and looked as though she was almost holding back a laugh.

"And who is Jakob?" Daine asked her, though it was Numair who spoke.

"Jakob is a squire, Alanna's squire." He said, turning white under his tan. Daine patted his hand.

"She's not a little girl, Numair." She said knowingly.

"I know that. It doesn't mean I have to like it."

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Studies show within my updating times that I am 10x more likely to update if you review. - Emma


	20. How long?

Im back! Sorry I didnt update last night, but i was helping the person i beta read for (you can ask me to beta for you if you like, im always willing). Anyway, thank you so much to everyone who reveiwed, i got a lot this go around. Keep it up!

Disclaimer: Not mine. But (thoughtfully) i suppose Jakob is sorta mine, right?

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Sarra sat down between Alanna and Raoul, across from Jakob. Alanna looked around a hugged her with one arm. "Happy Birthday!" She said cheerfully, and Sarra wondered what had happened. The lioness was _not _a morning person.

"Happy Birthday!" Raoul echoed, clapping her on the shoulder. "How old are you now?" He asked after a moment's thought.

"Fifteen." She replied, smiling up at the large knight. She then went back to her breakfast.

"Today is your birthday?" Jakob asked. She nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Sarra shrugged. "I don't really make a big deal out of them."

"But I have to get you a present." She and Jakob had been friends for two months now and were very close.

"No, you don't. I'm not even planning on having a party." She said. "Really, Jakob, its no big deal."

"Plan again, Sarra. Their majesties 'just happened', and when I say that I mean that I am very suspicious that they purposely planned this, to plan a ball tonight. And everyone is invited, of course, as a royal order. I hate balls."

"I don't know, Alanna, they aren't half as bad once you don't have matchmaking mothers following you around." Raoul commented.

"But I have to wear _a dress_. I hate, no, _loathe _dresses. How am I supposed to fight with all of those skirts and corsets and stuff?" She said passionately.

"You aren't supposed to fight in them." Thayet said as she sat down with her husband. Jakob made to bow, spilling his orange juice in the process. "Sit down, Squire, you don't have to bow." Sarra giggled and handed him a hankercheif to blot his soaked tunic. He stuck his tounge out at her, accepting it nevertheless.

Alanna's eyes flicked from Sarra, to Jakob, and then back. She then shrugged. "What was that for?" Sarra asked, ever observant as always.

"Nothing." Alanna replied flatly. Sarra snorted.

"You are the worst liar there ever was." She said, looking in Alanna's famed purple eyes. "And don't say I don't know that you are lying, Uncle George taught me all the liar's signs he knows, and I'm almost as good as Aly is at spotting lies, and _she _has the sight."

Alanna chose to remain silent. Jon, however, did not. "You know, its funny that George never figured out you were a girl." He said thoughtfully.

"Well he found out in my second year, anyway, so it doesn't really matter." Alanna said shortly.

"You never did tell me why you told him." Jon reminded her. It had been an ongoing argument for years, Alanna would never tell Jon why she had needed to tell George her true identity.

"That," she said, standing up. "Is none of your buissness." She stalked out of the dining hall.

"Well," Jakob said indignantly, though mockingly "I can see when we are obviously stood up. Lady, " He said, bowing jokingly to Sarra, "Shall we find company elsewhere, where our presence is wanted?"

She took his arm, laughing. "The players lost an excellent actor the day you decided to become a knight." She commented, a phrase she used often.

"So they did, but their loss is your gain!" He said as they walked out. Raoul looked at the two remaining members of his table.

"How long do you think it will be until they are together?" He asked.

"Soon." Thayet said, finally.

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Just because I got some reveiws for the last chapter doesn't mean I don't want any more! REVEIW! and if you reveiw more, I will write longer chapters, and I know how you all love that so much!


	21. Split Lip

Hey, I'm still writing so keep reviewing (hint, hint)! Guess what, everyone! I got a part in our school play! I am snoopy! (ok, yeah, im a girl but there are only 3 boys in drama class so they are schroder and linus and charlie brown so a girl had to be snoopy and i match the character well because im very sarcastic) We're doing "you're a good man, charlie brown" Its funny! Anyway, you dont really care you just want to read my story so, here:

Disclaimer: not mine, not mine, not mine (should make a fire pit and chant this around it....)

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"Where are we going?" Sarra exclaimed for perhaps the twelfth time. She knew the palace grounds very well, so someone who could only hear her would be wondering why she was asking such a question. As it was, Jakob had blindfolded her and was leading her through the woods, though she did not know it. All she knew was to trust the young man who held her shoulders in his hands who was steering her out of the way of the many trees.

"You'll know soon enough, just be patient." Jakob responded. Though he could not see her face, because he was behind her, he knew she was scowling. "No, don't scowl at me, Sarra, that's not going to get you anywhere."

This comment caused Sarra to cross her arms over her chest. Her shift in movement made Jakob lose hold of her shoulders. Consequently, she walked straight into a tree about twice as wide as her. "Ow, Jakob, I thought you were supposed to be keeping me _away_ from hitting trees!" She felt her face and tasted the metallic taste of blood. "I'm bleeding." she said quietly, more to herself rather than to her close friend. He crouched down in front of her, for she sat on the ground. He brought his fingers to her bleeding lower lip and his pale green gift seeped into her skin. The cut healed and the bleeding stopped. He took a hankercheif from his pocket and wiped the blood off of her face.

"There, better now?" He asked, standing up and then taking her hands to lift her to her feet.

"I was much better before I was run into a tree at all, thank you very much." She sniffed. He suspected that if she had been able to see where she was going, Sarra would have walked off. As it was, he was surprised that she had not taken the hankercheif from her eyes yet. He took hold of her shoulders again.

"No moving yourself anymore, or you'll hurt yourself again." He said, walking them farther into the forest.

"I'll hurt myself? _I'll hurt myself? _It seems to me that it is very much your fault for me hurting myself seeing as you were the one who was supposed to-"

"We're here." He said, silencing her. He untied the knot at the back of her head and the sight she held before her was magnificent. They were in a clearing deep in the woods, a blanket was laid out for them and a basket, she supposed with food in it, sat in the middle. She whirled about to face him

"What's this for?" She asked

"Your birthday." He said as though the answer was obvious

"My birthday was a week ago." She said reasonably

"Well then, it's a belated birthday gift. Come on, it's time for lunch." She followed him to the blanket and sat down next to him as he unloaded food from the basket. They ate in a comfortable silence. Sarra broke the silence when they had eaten their fill.

"Thank you for my birthday present, Jakob." She said.

He looked at her. "It's my pleasure." He said, a true and genuine smile on her face. His smile was contagious and soon she was smiling. Their eyes met. She continued to smile as she unknowingly leant towards him. He did the same. Their lips met and Sarra felt a surge of tingles travel down her back. He held her head in one hand, his other on her back. Her arms wound around his neck. When he pulled back, his lips were stained a bright crimson. She giggled.

"What?" He asked, smiling curiously.

"My lip re-opened and you got blood on your lip and it looks like you're wearing lip paint." She said, her giggles turning into full-blown laughter. He joined her. When she had calmed down, he re-healed her lip and wiped the blood off of them both.

"C'mon, back to the palace we go." He said. He held out his hand to help her up. When she stood up, though, he did not let go.

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"Uh-oh, Alanna's looking for you, I think." Sarra said as she spotted the short redhead who looked exasperatedly at Jakob when she spotted him. Her eyes flickered to their intertwined hands, but she didn't say a word.

"Jakob, we're going to Port Caynn. We'll be back sometime after supper. Meet me in my rooms in thirty minutes, no less." She walked away.

"See you later, Sarra." He said, turning to face her.

"Yes, later." She said lamely.

He kissed her softly before beginning to trot up the hill to the palace. When he was just barely still withing earshot, he turned and waved to her. She waved back, smiling and, with a smile so big, her lip split again. She cursed, dug a hankercheif out of her pocket and went off to the healer's wing.

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"How did this happen?" Sir Nealan of Queenscove asked as she showed him her split lip.

"I walked into a tree." She said flatly.

"A tree? What were you doing that caused you to walk into a tree?"

"Being blindfolded." She replied vaugely. She certainly wasn't going to tell Sir Neal the story, because he would tell Lady Knight Kel, who would tell her husband, Dom, and Sir Alanna. Alanna would tell her parents and Dom would tell the King's Own. Everyone would know by tomarrow. The palace had too many connections for gossip.

"Who blindfolded you?" He said, his magic flowing into her lip.

"A friend." She said. It was not completly a lie, she told herself. She got up from the cot on which she was sitting a made for the door.

"Sarra?" She turned to look at him. "Care to give an excuse as to why the rest of your mouth is swollen as well?"

"I suppose it happened when I hit the tree." she said, though she knew that wasn't the real reason. He nodded, though it was obvious that he did not beleive her.

"Go on, then."

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Tell me what you think because I love to hear from everyone!


	22. Run, now

I'm here still. Sorry for the weird, infrequent updates. I will update soon because i have a four day weekend (score for emma!). By the way, and I am asking this of my other story, is anyone here from another country (I'm from the US) ? And is anyone a guy? and, by the way, I have a poll, it's for my other story that I'm working on right now, you may or may not read it but please vote either way!

Disclaimer: This is mine, Charlie Brown will go talk to that little redheaded girl and I am taller and lost my terrible temper. Right, that'll happen (in case you didn't get it, _I'm being sarcastic, this isn't really mine_)

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_tap, tap, tap. _Daine heard a knock on the door of her family's suite. She opened the door to reveal a squire she remembered vaugely as Alanna's squire. She then remembered the events when Sarra was out and his horse, Zephyr. She grinned widely.

"Hello, you must be Jakob. I'm Daine, Sarra's mother." She stepped aside to let him in. "I'll go get Sarra, doubtless you are here to see her." Daine looked at him to confirm her statement. When he nodded, she walked through a door and left him in the main room.

"Who're you?" A boy who's face was hidden behind a large book asked. He lowered it to reveal stormy blue eyes, tan skin, and blonde curls. His nose was long, mirroring his famous father's. He looked to almost thirteen.

"I am Jakob, Sarralyn's..friend. You must be Rikash." He held out his large hand to the boy. Rikash stood up and shook it cautiously, looking up into Jakob's pale green eyes.

"You have the gift." He stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes, I have a small healing gift, not much, but enough for my uses I suppose." He replied. Rikash opened his mouth to say somthing else but was cut off by the arrival of his mother and older sister.

"Jakob, you're back. That was quick. Have you had dinner yet? No, you wouldn't, you came straight here, not getting a bite to eat. Come on then, you must be starving." Sarra said. She opened the door, waving him out of the room then following Jakob out. The door clicked shut.

"She knows him _too well_" Rikash exclaimed. "It's plain scary!" Daine laughed. That was true. She had not waited for a single response from Jakob, she had simply known the answer.

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"How was Port Caynn?" Sarra asked as he loaded his tray and she took a roll, having already eaten.

"Dull. We just learned some new healing tricks. We saw these really great animals, Alanna told me they're in the Royal Menagerie, but I've never seen it." He said. He was already almost done with his dinner.

"If you eat any faster, you'll make yourself sick. Have you really never been to the menagerie? Well, we'll have to go there, then, won't we?" She stood up. Jakob grabbed the apple still left on his tray as he gave it to the kitchen workers. He bit into it as they walked.

"What kind of animals are there in the menagerie?" He asked as she led him briskly down the hall.

"All kinds, birds, mammals, reptiles, anything you could ask for. Don't talk with your mouth full." Sarra didn't miss a beat.

"But I want to talk and eat my apple at the same time. And the apple is so tempting, I cannot resist!" He cried playfully.

"Fine, then. If you cannot control yourself around the apple we'll have to fix that." She took it out of his hands, opened the door to the practice courts and threw it as far as she could. "Ooops." She said, her head still stuck out the door.

"Ooops?" Jakob asked. She turned to face him.

"The apple hit Sir Nealan on the head." The door swung open as she finished her sentence to reveal Neal, a hand on his aching head, followed by Lady Knight Keladry and Sergeant Domitan.

"Sarra, did you throw this apple at my head?" He said, holding up said apple

"No?" Her voice rose in pitch at the end of her word, making it sound more like a question.

"Then who did?" He said.

"Uhhh....." Sarra's eyes searched the hall frantically "Jakob did it!" She cried, pointing at her companion.

"Jakob, did you throw this apple at me?" Neal asked, turning his attention to the squire.

"Sir, no, sir." Jakob said, seemingly sincere, though Sarra knew he was mocking the knight.

"Then who did?" Neal said exasperated.

"Sarra did it!" He pointed at Sarralyn.

"But she just said that you threw it." Kel said, puzzeled.

"She was lying." Jakob said.

"No, don't listen to him. He speaks lies. He threw the apple, see those are his teeth marks on the apple, they are too big to be mine." Sarra said.

The adults crowded around the apple, inspecting the teeth marks. Jakob felt a tug on his shirt sleeve and looked at Sarra. She jerked her head down the hall. Her eyes siad "run, now." And so they ran. By the time Neal, Kel, and Dom had realized that they were gone, they were out of sight.

"Why did you blame me?" Jakob asked when they had run so much that their breathing was heavy.

"Because," She said simply

"Because..." He prompted.

Sarra could not see any way out of this. She had no idea why she had blamed it on Jakob. "Because," She said, raising her heels off the ground a bit to kiss him. "I can" she said, and sprinted down the hall again. He gave chase.

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Ok, so (review) what are we going to do? (review) we are going to vote on emma's poll (reveiw), tell her if we are a guy (review) tell her if we are from somewhere other than the US (reveiw) andddddddddd.................................................REVIEW!


	23. Pygmy Marmoset

Once upon a time, there was a girl. Let's call her Amme for now. Now, Amme had a fanfiction account. Her username was 42rvulgmo. Now, Amme was writing this story that she really loved to write. She also loved reveiws. There was this handy little thing on called the traffic page. This page could tell her how many hits and visitors she had to all her stories, a story singualrly, and a chapter itself. Now, Amme's most recent chapter in said story, called delaever sterces, had 46 visitors (no, that one isn't backwards, and in case you haven't caught on, go reread this and pick out what is backwards) and only 3 reveiws for that chapter! Now, does this seem fair. So, I know I have asked you a million times to do this but, if you are not a writer, you do not know how much it means to us to get reveiws. It doesn't even have to be a good reveiw (though if it isnt, please give a reason why you don't like it). You can tell me what your favorite part was or what you want to happen next. And for those of you bothering to read this paragraph, thanks - Emma

Disclaimer: dont feel like being witty with this one but NOT MINE.

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Sarra was back in Master Numair's classroom. But this time, there was a covered cage next to her and she did not seem to be there under force. She rested her hip on the desk while waiting for the pages and squires to file in. Master Numair was in a corner, observing, not teaching.

"Hello everyone!" She called when they were all there. There were varied responses, from enthusiastic, to grunts, to silence. "Who wants to know what's this cage here?" The majority of the boys raised her hands. "Well, why don't I show you then?" Sarra crouched down and fumbled for a moment, then stood back. A lioness walked out from under the curtain. Many of the boys instinctivly moved backwards and one of the smaller pages had gone white and was visibly shaking.

"Oh, don't worry, she won't hurt you. Unlike our king's champion, who is nicknamed after this animal, she has no temper to speak of. Would anyone like to come closer?" Sarra was sitting on the ground now, petting the animal absently while she spoke. Nobody raised their hand or stood up.

"I will." A boy said from the back. It was Jakob. Sarra grinned at him and he smiled back, though he did still look a bit afraid. The lioness did not move a muscle when he petted her. Many other boys were now coming up to the front, eager to pet the animal now that they trusted it was safe.

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"Thank you." Sarra said as she carried the cage, the lioness walking beside her. On her other side was Jakob.

"No problem. It was fun. The lioness was really nice, I mean, I was scared at first, you know, as most people would be, but it was fine in the end." He said, hands in his pockets.

"Well, you really helped me with that class. Usually Ma teaches that bit, but she's out doing work for the king so Da asked me to do it. It's scary, talking to a bunch of people like that. 'Specially when some of them are older than you."

"Well, I'm older than you and I still listen to you. How are the rest of them any different?" He asked as they reached glass doors.

"But you know me. Most people think I'm real magical but just a kid and don't really listen to what I say." She pulled the door open to reveal a grasslands habitat, not just a cage, but a compeltly surreal place that looked _very _real.

"Where are we?" Jakob asked, awe in his voice.

"The menagerie. Or, at least, the lion's habitat. See, each animal has its own habitat room, like this one, 'cept it's like where they come from. There are lots of grasslands ones, though, 'cause if they were all in one together, the lions would eat everyone."

He nodded. That made sense. The other lions in this habitat, a male and several cubs, came out to greet them. They seemed pleased to see Sarra and the cubs ran about her excitedly. When the cubs tired. they walked slowly over to him. "It's okay, they won't hurt you. They like you, I don't think they would hurt you even if I wasn't here." Sarra said, smiling.

"Don't leave." He said hurridly, taking his attention from the animals to the girl next to him. "I'd prefer not to experiment with that just yet."

When they had played with the cubs for a little while longer, they left the menagerie. "Come here." Sarra said, taking his hand in her's and leading him down the hall. She stopped at another set of glass doors, like the one from the lion habitat. This one was humid and hot. Trees were everywhere and there didn't seem to be any animals there. A small little monkey swung down from a tree and landed on Sarra's shoulder.

"Hello, there. Where's everyone else?" Sarra asked, holding the little monkey in her hands. "Oh, okay, we'll go then. No, I will come back tomarrow, I promise. Goodbye." It was very strange for Jakob to hear only one half of a conversation.

"Why are we leaving so soon? And what was that?" He asked, following her out. The hall seemed dry and cold after being in the monkey habitat.

"That was a Pygmy Marmoset. We're leaving because most of the marmosets just got over a healing and are sleeping right now."

"Are you going to visit them tomarrow?" He asked, remembering what she had told the marmoset.

"Yes." she turned to face him. "Why?"

"Can I come?" He asked shyly, not sure if she would want him there.

She grinned up at him, and that was all the answer he needed.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Thanks, emma (see top)


	24. Midwinter time is here!

Ok everyone, 5/35 people reveiwed. That is only...14 (and a lot of decimals)%. So, this time, let's aim for 25 percent at the least! Deal? Anyway, to the story!

Sarra was ecstatic. The wind whipped in her hair as she glided with a smoothness you could not get from riding a horse. Sarra was sledding. But not just your everyday sledding. She was sledding on the very same sled as Jakob, who was steering in the front as she held to his waist. And the snow was over two feet high. It had taken them forever to simply get out the door while trying not to get snow in the palace. In the end, they had given up and a large pile of snow now sat in the corridor just a short walk away from Sarra's rooms. She let go of him as the sled slowed and rolled off. He sledded down for another twenty feet or so.

"That was so fun!" He cried. He had never sledded before, because Dunlath didn't really have any good sleds to go down. "Sarra?" He said, turning to see her making a snow angel in the snow. He laughed and lay down next to her, making a taller snow angel. She sat up, her curls soaked from the snow, and he did too. He reached out and brushed a snowflake from her nose. Then his hand was at the back of her head and his lips were on hers. Any coldness that Sarra had felt from snow slowly dripping down her back vanished at the kiss. Dimly, she felt her body being pulled to the ground, though she did not make any sense of it until Jakob's hands were at the neck of her coat. She was about to help him when she realized where she was.

"Jakob,' She said, pulling her lips off of his, but he came back to hers again. "Jakob." She sat up. He did too. "We - we can't - especially not here and - it's just..." She looked down. She didn't know if she was ready. It wasn't that she didn't love him, it was that she was still only a few months over fifteen.

"I know. I'm sorry." Jakob sounded regretful but not, she knew, because she chose not to bed him but because he had tried. She hugged him fiercly. After a moment's confusion, he hugged her back. They then proceeded to walk back up the long, steep hill just to sled down it again.

Though she sat right beside the fire in the dining hall, Sarra still shivered. It probably had something to do with the fact that now the snow in her hair was melting to cold water and dripping down her back. She grasped her cocoa for warmth and leaned her head on Jakob's shoulder.

"Sarra!" A girl exclaimed. She had blonde curls cropped short and medium-blue eyes. She ran to the table where Sarralyn was sitting and slid onto the bench opposite the couple. "...and Jakob?" She asked, looking at the squire. Edlyn was skinny and only four foot eleven, though she insisted that she was five feet tall, at the age of fifteen. She had been a good friend of Sarra's growing up, her family had stayed often at the palace.

"It's good to see you, Edlyn. How is Sir Nathann?" He asked, naming Edlyn's knightmaster.

"As good as someone can be knowing that they simply insult me everyday with their height." Edlyn replied dramatically. She was always one to make even the ordinary seem extroidinary. Her eyes then flickered between Jakob and Sarra. "Are you courting?" She asked outright. Sarralyn had forgotten that she was not one for tact.

"Edlyn!" Sarra cried indignantly. At the same moment, Jakob said "Yes." Sarra looked at him, doing her best to look as frightening as the Lioness. It was ruined by the said knight's comment of "Now, squire, I do know that you love to look into your lover's eyes, but we have work to do down south. You simply must pull yourself away." Alanna's eyes danced as she said this.

"Aunt Alanna, Jakob is _not _my lover!" Sarra said, shocked at her words.

"Well, not yet you aren't. Come on, Jakob, pack, we leave tomarrow.


	25. No

I'm back! Happy Thanksgiving everyone. If you, like me, have been kicked out of the main part of your house because that is where the kitchen is and you are simply "taking up too much space" or "being annoying" THREE CHEERS! Anyway, sorry for the delay, on with the story.

Disclaimer:hahahha, no. not mine.

Sarra was having a half-hearted conversation with the robin that rested on her index finger. Jakob had been gone for over a week now. She hadn't even heard from him, not that that was saying much, because he was on the move often. How could they have left halfway through Midwinter? It didn't help that Edlyn was talking about "them" all the time, practically rubbing it in her face that he wasn't there. Thus why she was out in the cold, avaoiding her best friend.

Not being able to take it any longer, Sarra practically threw the robin off of her hand, scaring him into flight away from her, and picked up her crossbow that rested on the bench next to her. Once at the outdoor practice courts, she began shooting, so concentrated on her anger that most of her arrows just barely were on the target.

"I thought they said you were a good shot." She looked up to see Raoul. He had said he would see her again and had kept true to his word. With him was quite a few men from the King's Own and Lady Knight Keladry.

"I am." She said shortly through gritted teeth, getting back to shooting out her anger.

The

"Well then, either I am expecting much higher of someone with a good shot or they are blind." Raoul said, smiling.

"Y'know, it's not really the best time right now so if you could just go away, it'd be very much appreciated." Sarralyn was getting annoyed. Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

"Oh, testy, are we now? What's wrong, then?" He asked curiously.

She turned her bow on him, the arrow just scant inches from his throat. "What part of go away do you not understand? Why can't you just leave? That's what he did, so why don't you just go, too? Just leave, it's not like I have any feelings or anything!" She had dropped her bow now and was pacing, talking more to herself than her audience. "and I suppose the cause is more important than me and I'm being selfish, but can you really blame me? I mean, it's halfway through Midwinter and he just _has _to go! Does that seem fair?" She really wasn't talking to them now, and they just watched as she rambled. "No! No, it's not fair. And then my best friend is wont to talk about him and why can't she see that it hurts and I simply cannot bear her company anymore! And then they come along, talking about my shooting. Does anyone ever think that maybe it's harder to shoot when you're so bloody angry? No. No no no no no." Tears were running down her pale face, turning almost to ice but she didn't notice. She sat down in the snow. "No." She repeated.

They all just stared. Obviously, she had forgotten they were there. Her legs were hugged to her chest and her face buried in her knees, cury hair hiding it from view. The Own was silent. Raoul gestured for them to leave, and then there was just Raoul, Kel and Sarra.

"Sarra?" Kel asked, and she did not look up. "Who left?" Sarra looked up, startled that there were people there. She shook her head. "Okay, you won't tell us. Why don't you find something else to do until he gets back?"

"Be-" she cleared her voice. "Because even though I'm older than my mother was when _she _was out fighting battles, I'm too young to help with anything."

"You could use that argument with your parents, you know. We could back you up." Raoul suggested.

"I- I suppose. Let's go then." She started walking, them following her. "And no telling them what just happened."

Raoul and Kel grinned.

"I want to go help with the fighting." Sarra stated simply.

"Sarra, you're too young and -" Her mother started to say.

"I'm a full three years older than you were when you started fighting battles. And I'm trained a lot better than you were then." She stated defiantly.

"That doesn't give you the right to go." Her father retorted.

"No, it doesn't, it takes away your right to stop me from going." She glared him down. Most people would have been afraid to talk like that to a black robe mage, but not Sarralyn.

"Daine, Numair. She is completly right. She's older than you and Alanna and Kel when they first fought in a real fight. She's the same age as Aly when she became the spy for a god. By pretty much every comparison, she's old enough to go." Raoul said. Both parents just stared at him.

"How much money did she give you?" Numair asked.

"She didn't give us any money. We're just being nice and helping her." Kel said.

"You could be nice and help us." Daine reminded them.

"Would you stop being so selfish?" Sarra asked. "The only reason you don't want me to go is that you're scared I'll get hurt. I'm not ten anymore, I can take care of myself."

"Fine, Sarra, you can go. But don't come crying to us if you get hurt or don't like it. Raoul, are you going to be off somewhere soon?" Daine said, covering Numair's mouth, though indignant cries could be heard from him.

"I'm going south soon. She can come with the Own then." Raoul said.

"And I'll be with them too." Kel added.

Tell me what you think. There's a button right there. press it and see what happens.


	26. I change my mind

13 (and again, random decimals)% reveiws. Actually, there were only three reveiws but seeing as I posted that chapter like yesterday, I'll let it slide. Plus, that's about how many I get even after about a week. So, thank you to everyone who reveiwed. Oh, and just something I would like to say. Has anyone ever had someone favorite their story/ story alert it and then NOT REVEIW? Isn't that just the most infuriating thing ever? I know! But yet annoying people continue to do it. If you don't like the story and don't want to be mean, I can understand, but I mean, if you're reading up to chapter 26 here, you obviously like the story. That, or you have no life. Which is probably the majority of the fanfiction of community, people who don't have lives. Oh, well, on with the story.

Disclaimer: Seriously? Not even going to say it, you know what I'm thinking.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoooOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Sarra's dark eyes were wide as she took in her surroundings. She had never been farther south than Pirate's Swoop. The weather had grown warmer as they rode farther. She and the Own, plus Lady Knight Keladry, who insisted that she be called Kel, had been on the road for a week now. A fortnight (that's two weeks) more and they would be at Fort Saffron. That was where Jakob and Alanna were, but her company needn't know that. When they stopped to rest the horses and for lunch, she dismounted, brushed Rain down quickly but thouroughly, and tied her to a nearby tree, mainly just so the other horses would not protest their imprisonment, and went to get food. She sat with Kel and Raoul, the most familiar people in the group, not that the Own was inhospitable. They talked and joked with her all the time. They treated her like anyone else, not a fragile wildmage girl with the Gift. She liked that.

"Kel, who is that man, the tan one with the fair hair?" She asked as she set down her fork, full.

"That's Leonard, Leo. Why, d'you fancy him?" Kel asked jokingly.

"I'm moving." Raoul said, standing up, afraid of where this conversation may go.

"No, it's not that so Raoul you can stay. Here, I'll show you." She said and stood up. "Excuse me," She said, tapping Leo on the shoulder. "Mr. Leonard."

"It's Leo, just Leo." He said, grinning up at her, as he was sitting down.

"Leo. Your horse, Bosco, is not properly groomed. Go fix it." She said, turning on her heel to walk back to her seat. There were jeers from the men as Leo flushed red and went to tend to Bosco. Kel and Raoul grinned up at her as she sat down.

"That was cruel." Raoul said, still smiling. "Cruel, but hilarious."

"I especially like how he was trying to flirt with you and you just ordered him around." Kel said as she laughed.

"He was _not _trying to flirt with me." Sarra protested.

"Oh, he so was." Kel said. Raoul nodded in agreement.

"Fine, be annoying. I'm going to go talk to the animals, they don't lie."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Sarra came out of the woods just a few minutes later with her white-copper magic crackling with anger in her hands. The own parted as she walked, now quite frightened by the youth.

"What on earth happened?" Kel asked, keeping a safe distance from Sarralyn.

"I change my mind. Animals are liars, too." She said, closing her fists, the magic disappearing.

"What did they say?" Kel asked. She was answered by silence. "Was it about Leo?" She asked quietly, so the men wouldn't hear.

"Some of it."

"Well what was the rest of it about?" Again, slience. "It was about him, wasn't it. The one you were talking about, that day at the practice courts. Who is it?" She asked, again, in a hushed tone.

"You wouldn't know him."

"All the more reason to tell me, I can't tell him, so why does it matter?" Kel asked.

It dawned on Sarra that Kel probably would know Alanna's squire. "I change my mind. You do know him."

"You can still tell me."

"No."

I know, it's short, but I don't want to put their arrival in this chapter. And it's a really soon update. You have no idea how many times I had to go check things in my story or find names online. This took forever. Anyway, please reveiw!


	27. Bittersweet

It was a dark and stormy night...

No, no just kidding. I'm not that cliched. Actually, though, it is thunderstorming here, which completly frightened me while I was reading and a huge thunder clap sounded througout my house. I sorta screamed. Okay, yeah, that's stretching the truth, I screamed and jumped like a foot in the air. My brother came running in, thinking there was a mass-murderer or something. then he got sorta pissed at me for screaming at thunder. I don't like thunderstorms. or boats. Those make me sick.

Anyway, I'm on an updating rampage on this story today so ENJOY!

Disclaimer: If I have already said this once today, do I really need to say it again? Not mine.

They were finally there. She could see it, just barely on the horizon, a speck. Yes, it was just a speck. But it was the speck that she would arrive at in an hour's time. It was a speck called Fort Saffron. It was a speck where Jakob was. Sarra seriously considered galloping the entire way there. Surely that would be much faster. But she didn't want to overtire Rain, who she had been riding for three weeks straight, and Kel had still been curious about who it was she wanted to see so dearly. Galloping for twenty miles would surely not help. But she wanted so badly to get there _now._

"Sarra, want to race there?" Kel asked. Sarra could have kissed her. Kel was her knight in shining armor at that moment, giving her a completly fiesable reason to gallop. Without responding, she set off instantly. "Well so much for fairness!" Kel called as she rode after her. It felt so good, the wind in her hair, She could smell the ocean, even if it was miles away. Maybe she was just imagining it. From what she had been told, Fort Saffron was quite literally right next to the ocean. Sarra did not fully understand how this worked, because that would leave it very open to invaders, but she supposed they had thought that out when they had built it. She looked back to the speck, but it wasn't a speck anymore. It was bigger, she could see the outlines of several buildings. And the waves. It had rained yesterday, slowing them down, and the storm had caused the largest waves she had ever seen. Granted, the largest waves she had seen before that had been about two feet, but these waves reached over ten feet at least.

Kel had caught up with her now and was keeping pace, not really pulling ahead. Sarra had forgotten about the race. She talked to Rain, who was just as excited as she was to run. It allowed her to stretch her muscles and she wasn't tired in the least. With this knowledge, she urged her horse to pull ahead. She turned back and stuck her tounge out at Kel. Now she could taste the salt in the air. It was really there, she wasn't imagining it. But yet, the fort was still a couple minutes away (ok, let's pretend they're going like really fast or something). She couldn't bear it. She wanted to be there as soon as possible. Wasn't there anything faster than horses to get there?

Suddenly, it hit her. Telling Rain her plan first, so she wouldn't be startled, she shape-shifted into a hawk and, after picking up her discarded clothes in her talons, flew to the Fort. This was much faster. Now she was very near. She could see the village in the Fort, with a dining hall and little houses for the families to live in. There was the Infirmary and the offices as well as the soldier's barracks. She saw a bath house, the perfect place for her to change back to a human. She swooped in as a woman opened the door, which caused a few shreiks of alarm. She landed, shapeshifted, and dressed to see that the whole of the bathing women were staring at her. She shrugged. "My ma's the Wildmage and my da's a black robe mage and you expect me not to shapeshift." The women laughed. They had all heard of the Wildmage and Numair Salmalin and it was common knowledge that they had children. They went back to their business except a few younger girls who stared in awe at the magical girl-child.

Now, to find Jakob. Rain, she knew, would be perfectly fine. She was very intelligent and knew how to find the stables. She sent out her magic, asking all of the animals if they had seen him. A dog, a small black terrier was sitting right beside him. Following the dog's directions, she walked right into the small animal. He saw her before she saw him, so preoccupied was she on greeting the dog.

"Sarra." He said, surprised. He was talking with two other squires, boys, both of them.

"Hi Jakob." She hugged him. He hugged back just as tightly but his face showed his puzzelment. "Ma and Da lost my arguement."

"What arguement?" He asked, sitting down and motioning for her to do the same. His friends had tactfully left.

"That I am old enough to fight. So I'm here with Lady Knight Kel and Lord Raoul and the Own. and everyone else who is at this fort. What's wrong? Aren't you happy I'm here?"

"I am, Sarra, it's just I don't want you to get hurt." He said slowly.

"What, you don't think I can fight either. I'm not a fragile court lady! I'm more powerful than both my parents! And yet I'm treated like glass." She ran off, not sure where she was going. She found herself at the infirmary. No one was there, because there hadn't been any fighting recently and the healers were in their offices. She sat down on a stool and cried into her hands.

"Hello. Wha's this? Wha's wrong, youngling?" A woman asked. She looked to be in her late thirties. By her robes it was indicated that she was a high standing healer.

"Nothing. I'm fine." Sarra said thickly.

"Ye wouldn't be cryin' if you was alright." She repremanded. Sarra wondered how a high standing healer could not be very educated in Common.

"It's just that everyone th-thinks that I c-can't fight at a-all and n-no one approves of it and I-I came all the way here to do that and my.....friend tells me he w-won't let me." She said through sobs.

"Your 'friend'? Girlie, if he was you're friend he would let ye fight. He be more than a friend then?" Sarra nodded. "Did ye think that maybe he cares 'bout you and don't want to see you hurt?" The healer asked.

"That's what he said." Her tears were subsiding now. "But what if he's lying. What if he doesn't really care about me and that's why he was happy to be here, to be rid of me?" Sarra asked.

"Was he happy t' be here?" She asked. Sarra thought back to when he had left, how sad he had been and would barely leave her side until the last second.

"No."

"Then d'you think tha' maybe you jus' asurprised 'im?"

"Yes."

"Then what d'ye think ye should do?"

"Apologize." Sarra mumbled.

"Tha's a girl. Go on then, afore it's too late."

"Thank you. Oh, wait, I never got your name. I'm Sarra, by the way." She said as she was halfway out the door.

"I'm Miliani, Milly for short. I'm always here if ye need me."

Haha, I'm evillll!!!!! review and I'll update sooner!


	28. Sea

Ok people. I just realized that I know how many people have this on story alerts. 21. 21 people! and do i get 21+ reveiws? NO! so i expect reveiws from at least the following people:

bassbrat

Ehscapayyy

Elfprinzess

flowerypetal

Horseygirl7

inktounge

Jinx0993

Lady Shang1

.beauty

Selena Ann Booth

song of the knight

_Soraya the All Speaker _

starlock

_studentofwords _

Technician Fan

The Archangel Network

Tishica

WanderingGypsy17

WolfGirl15

xXthenextbookwormXx

(not to mention any names) the people in italics are just awesome b/c they reveiwed last chapter! and Misteryious One (is that how you spell it? sorry if it's wrong) Oh WAIT! I didn't even count the people on my author alerts! No, no I'm not going to do that to you. Anyway, you know who you are.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't feel like being witty so act like i said something funny here.

Sarra, not knowing where to go, saw the sun directly above her and decided to get luch before anything. Going to the largest of the buildings, she found the mess hall. Getting her food, she sat by herself, if Jakob was here, she wasn't ready to confront him. He, however was. That was made obvious as he sat down across from him. _Maybe if I ignore him he'll go away. _she thought. It would take a lot for her to apologize. Personally, she thought that he was the one in the wrong here, so was not sure if she really wanted to apologise. But yet, she really liked him, maybe even loved him. How did she know if she loved him. What was the difference? This was all very confusing and Sarra completly forgot that Jakob was still there.

"Sarra." She looked up, surprised. Then she looked back down, shamefacedly. "Sarra, I really don't want you to get hurt." She opened her mouth to speak but he covered her hand with his to silence her. "But I'm not going to stop you. That would be unfair. You have as much right to fight as I do. It's just...."

She nodded. That was half the reason she had come down here. She had been miserable without him. The feeling was obviously reciprocated. "C'mere. I want to show you something." He led her outside and to the beach. The sand was rough on their now bare feet. They stood where the waves washed over their legs, making them shiver from the ice cold water.

"Jakob?" He looked over to her. "I- I love you." She said. She was sure now. Liking was fleeting, a sort of knowing. This was something much more.

"I love you, Sarra." He said, leaning down to kiss her. She put her arms around his neck as he pulled her off her feet. She pulled away with a shreik of delight at being airborne before being pulled back.

Sarra had been right. The ocean was not an ideal place for a fort. That was pointed out when, as they walked back to the fort, she spotted something along the distance. Changing her eyes to see better, she saw it was a fleet of three ships, most definitly coming towards them. They reported to Sir Gerald of Theaham, who commanded the fort. Archers were placed on the fort's walls to attack when the enemy was in range. Knights and squire's were placed on the beach. All they could do was wait for them to arrive. Except, Sir Gerald had been informed of Sarra's talents. She was sent to shapeshift as a bird and give a report on them. She did, flying over them. She saw men in the robes of a mage, war mages, by the looks of it, and two healers. They looked rather powerful. There were thirty men per boat. The fort would be fine, with over two hundred men they had over twice the amount of fighters. One of the mages pointed to her, speaking in a foreign tounge. Sarra wondered why they thought she was so peculiar. The bird she had shapeshifted into was one that was found in this area. Then she remembered something her father had said once.

_"I can see her magic on her, even when she's shapeshifed. That's an issue. It'll be easy for any decently powerful mage to see the magic on her, too, she's so much of it. It'll be a give away for sure."_

That was why they were pointing. They could see her magic and knew that she was human, not a real animal. She turned and flew away as fast as she could. It wasn't enough. An arrow pierced her wing, slowing her flight. She zig-zagged to avoid any more shots, but her hold on the shape was weakening. Twenty yards from shore, she lost hold completly and fell into the water.

Sarra woke up without opening her eyes. She didn't _want_ to open her eyes. They felt like lead. She explored her other senses. She smelled aloe soap and her mouth tasted as though she had not cleaned her teeth for a few days, which she probably had not. She was wearing a...nightshirt, or perhaps a nightgown. It was made of cotton. So were the sheets on the bed she was on, covered by a wool blanket. She could hear voices. She didn't know whose they were or what they were saying. And it was light out, because she could see that through her eyelids. She struggled to move, open her eyes, sit up, something, before she fell asleep again.

Read above. Follow instructions that are told to you in pretty much every chapter of this story. (oh, and if anyone's interesting in being a beta reader, I think it might help with my spelling/gramatical errors so PM me) - Emma


	29. Oracle

Diclaimer: Apparently, naive means inexperienced. So I cannot really call you that. I can call you lots of other words that I won't say for thinking this is mine, though

Sarra came to her senses, but the place she was in seemed very surreal.  
She recognized it as the tower. It was much more than a tower, with all the  
additions that had been put on it over the years and the wall that surrounded  
it. Her brother stood there, but he glowed white, not the usual  
charcoal-silver of his magic. Even though she knew she wasn't really there, she felt there. Everything seemed real. She could see everything normally and when she reached out to brush her fingers over a wall, it felt solid. Sarra looked down at herself to see if her own magic was different from normal, but she couldn't see her own aura.

"Rikash? What's going on?" She asked she asked the being she thought was her little brother. When he spoke to her, however, it wasn't his usual young boy's high, squeaky voice but a man's slow deep voice.

"The people of the Dijourd rebel against you  
Their people are starving and rain has yet to come.  
Tortall is known to be rich with crops and haven't a clue  
of the havoc they will cause on your land."

The people of the far island rebel against you  
The 'jourd starve, and thirst, and pine for riches  
Your own have all the god's issue  
And they now fight to sow their own stitches  
With peace as threads for war

It was a poem, and a riddling one at that. Dijourd was an  
island, farther south than the Copper Isles and Yamani islands. Sarra had heard the reports of the starving and drought in the far nation. There had even been discussions between the king and his advisors about sending supplies to them in the spring, but there had been no final decision. Tortall was rich, yes, but no country could take care of everything in the world. Why would they attack us if we might help them?  
Furthermore, there were only three ships presently attacking the fort. That wouldn't be nearly enough to take over even this fort, despite its small size. It seemed that whoever was wearing the seaming of her little brother could hear her thought because when he continued, he addressed her mental questions.

"Do not underestimate their size, for there are far more than those you  
have seen and they are trained by those to rival the Shangs.

The charity you contemplate on which they lean hurts their pride, so they will attack.

Thus eliminating the threat."

So their pride was hurt! The goodwill Tortall was doing them insulted them  
so they are going to fight us not only to get our goods and land, but because  
they feel offended. Well that made sense. Now all she wanted to know was who  
in Mithros' name this person was.

"I am the god of dreams  
I can tell you of your future,  
that from you magic teems  
but you can lean to control it and your glow."

By glow, she was pretty sure he meant the magic that shone through her, even  
when she shapeshifted. That's what it seemed like. And the god of dreams. That  
must have mean Ganiel. Her mother had met him once, as had her father, when  
they were in the Realms of the Gods.

"The person you came to seek  
will remain faithful to you when others are not  
do not speak,  
for I can tell you no more." (

Sarra woke up, opened her eyes to the blazing sun, shut them again and rolled over. She still felt terrible and weak. But yet, her sense of curiousity overrode her exhaustion. She opened her eyes again. The room she was in was the infirmary, she recognized it from her previous trip in here. _Where is everyone?_ She thought. She sat up in her bed and dangled her legs off of it. She was so tired she could just fall back onto her pillows and fall asleep again. But she was scared that she would have another dream. She didn't like the thought that the gods knew what was going to happen and were watching her. It was odd. She stood up, he muscles moaning in protest and swayed on the spot. She bent doubled over and dry heaved, not having any food in her body to throw up. She walked, using the beds and chairs in the room for support, to the door that lead to the outside. Her upper arm hurt everytime she used it to lean on something, she wasn't sure why. She stepped onto the grass and saw a stick, a bit too short for her use as a cane, but it would do. She wasn't exactly sure where she was going. It was in the afternoon and the sun was hot, despite the time of year. Her stick snapped in half and she went down with it. She just sat there. She couldn't walk by herself and barely could with support.

"Sarra! What are you doing out here? They were supposed to tell me when you woke up. And you don't look to good." it was Kel. "Can you stand?" Sarra shook her head."Then how'd you get out here?" She shrugged, too tired for words. The lady knight helped her walk back to the infirmary, though she was practiacally carrying her. She sat her on the bed. "Stay here." It was a stupid order. Sarra could not walk. And she was hungry. How long had she been asleep? Kel came back with a tray of food and Milly. She set the tray on a table beside Sarra. Greedily, she picked up a roll but dropped it to the floor. She couldn't grip it. tears welled up in her eyes. "It's okay, Sarra. It's just a roll. No, don't cry, please?" It was too late. The tears rushed down her face. She opened her mouth, trying to speak, but only dry heaved again.

"Sarra. I need you to lie down now." Milly said. "Kel, you can go." She said more quietly. "Your arm is healing. But you almost drowned, youngling. Gave us all quite a scare. Can you talk?" She shook her head. "That's probably from all the salt water you swallowed. It also explains why you're throwing up, only, you aren't, because you haven't eaten for days." She propped Sarra up on her pillows and held a glass of water to her lips, tipping it slightly so she could drink. Sarra tried again to talk but failed. "You've been out for five days, you know." Sarra's shock showed on her face. Milly chuckled. "Here, eat." She held a new roll for Sarra, helping her to hold it. When she finally was able to grip the food by herself, Milinia went back to her office.

As Sarra finished up her roll, Jakob ran in. "Milly! How is she?" He asked as he walked towards her bed. "You're awake." She nodded. "How are you." Sarra looked at him. She wanted desperatly to tell him that she had no idea of her current state, but couldn't. "Sarra? What's wrong? Why are your eyes red?"

"She can't talk just yet, Jakob." Milly said, coming back out ofher office. "She only just woke up."

"Has she been crying?" He questioned

"She dropped a roll." Milinia explained.

"Why would she cry over that?" He queried again.

Sarra was furious at being talked about like she wasn't even there. To express this, she trew one of her smaller pillows at Jakob. It missed, but he saw it and turned to look at her. "I'm sorry." He said, understanding. Her eyelids felt heavy again. "Go to sleep, Sarra, you need it." He whispered as her eyes fluttered closed.

A REALLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYYYYY big thanks to my awesome beta, who like basically rewrote the first half. She is awesome. Thank you to everyone who offered to be a beta, actually got a surprising amount of those. And thank you for reading (no, the story is not over, don't cry. Just making my thank yous) I'll have more thank you's to give out if you reveiw.


	30. I'm On A Boat! Like the song, only not

Alright everyone, sorry for taking forever but these chapters now go through a beta process. This chapter has not been completly beta-certified yet, so I might put up a newer (and hopefully improved) version of this chapter up later. Anyway, excellent news today! I got my cast off! And the day before the dress rehershal for my play. Wish me luck, because I have stage fright and seriously need it. Anyway, Review (I'm telling you now because I won't put a note at the end) and enjoy!

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Sarra had recently regained the ability to talk, even if it did hurt her throat. With this regained skill, she had requested that she could go to the beach. Permission was granted with a promise from Jakob that he would be along as soon as he got permission from his knight-master to do so. She closed her eyes as she tilted her too pale face towards the sun. If her eyes had been open, she would have noticed the smalll rowboat with three people on it beach right in front of her. She did notice when a shadow fell across her, blocking the sun, and opened her eyes expecting to find Jakob smiling down at her. Instead, one of the mages she had seen on the boats earlier spelled her and she fell into a dreamless sleep as she was taken aboard the rowboat.

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When she woke up, her arms and legs were in rusty shackles that chafed her skin. She looked around her. She was in a bare room, furnished with wooden slats covering the walls and floor and nothing else, asides from her shackles, and she was obviously on one of the boats, which was rocking back and forth. She immediatly began to feel sick. Like her parent's friend Alanna the Lioness, she experienced revolting and gut wrenching sea sickness. She avoided sea travel at all cost. When it was unavoidable, she shapeshifted into a bird, usually one native to the area she was in, and flew until it became necessary for her to land and re-energize. Even then, she stayed in the center of the ship, where the rocking was less, and refused to look at the waves. The room was very small, perhaps four feet wide and four feet long. If she slid down from her sitting position against the wall, her feet would hit the opposite side. She, however, did not try this, because the wood was unsanded and she was afraid of the splinters she would aquire doing such an act.

Sarra began to shake with fear as she realized that she was most likely not beside the beach at Fort Saffron. If she had been, the rolling of the boat would have been very minimal. She had only ever been outside of the country when traveling with her parents. Now she was alone, no parents let alone a friend, or even an aquaitiance, beside her. She used a natural instinct, one she had used many times to hazardous results. She shapeshifted. She attemped to shift into a monkey, to slide out of her shackles and plan her escape. She did not change one bit. Looking down at a hand pale from lack of exposure to the sun, she saw the glow of the gift. She had been magicked, and now she was unable to shapeshift. She called out to the animals around her to find that she was cut off from them. Her breathing became faster and much more shallow. Her head began to feel light from the lack of oxygen. Sarra forced herself to take deep breaths, like she was meditating, something that Da insisted she do often no matter how much she hated it. Once her breathing pattern was back to normal, she relaxed. Feeling lonely, she began to hum a song she had learned from the cradle. So immersed in her song, that she did not notice the door to her tiny cabin open.

"I know dat song well." A young man, perhaps seventeen, give or take a year, said, startling Sarralyn. He smiled at her. He had a slave collar, a magical ring around his neck that would choke him if he went too far from his master, and undyed shirt and breeches. "I'm Kenchirou. I'm to be 'tending to you." He had a Dijourdian accent.

"I'm Dasha." She said, borrowing the name of a girl from fief Shaila who she had met once or twice and disliked, for Dasha was not interesting in anything but the latest fashions and the most gorgeous young knight at court. Dasha had absolutely hated the song she was humming, saying it was "passe". That's how she came to mind. Now, it was convienent to have a somewhat common name, so she didn't have to use her rather recognizable one. "Where am I? Where is this boat going?"

"You're on the boats of the Dijoird Pirates. They've bee' raiding everywhere they tink is weak for food, 'cause we don' have any a' home." (for the accent, think Timothy from the Cay, or in more common words, a jamaican sort of accent) "Oh, I fergot to give you your food. 'Ere. If yoo e'er need anyting, just tell me." (tell me if you think the accent is too much. TELL ME!)

"Thank you, Kenchirou" She said, accepting the half full bowl of watery soup. There wasn't much meat in it either.

"Call me Chirou, Miss Dasha." He said, and left the cabin, as he left, she noticed, locking the door behind him. That just killed any hope of an escape, being doubly locked in.


	31. Dijourd

Here's the next chapter. Sorry it took a long time, but i did a lot of research and stuff to form the Dijourdians. Or whatever they're called. I guess since they're mine, I can call them whatever I want, right? At the end of the thing, I'm putting translations for Chirou and other people with accents if there are any in this chapter, because i got a comment saying it was hard to understand. Tell me if you think it is.

Sarra was let out of her high security, as she thought of it, prison only to use the privy and, once, to have a slave collar attached around her own neck. When she returned to her cell, led by Chirou, she tried to remain positive. _Well, I'm sure the silver looks really pretty with my skin tone, I mean, gold has never looked good on me. And it doesn't do that much. It just chafes my neck....and keeps me within a half a mile of my owners...and I'm probably stuck here forever, because this island is pretty big, it'd be hard to find me...not to mention I'll never be let out of the palace again...if I get back. _Her thoughts went on and on, decending to such a low level that she began to cry as Chirou opened the door. He still spoke with his Dijourdian accent but she had gotten so used to it, being on a boat with people who spoke only that way, that she did not really notice as he said,

"Miss Dasha, why are you crying? Thiis is a beautiful day and the water is calm." He asked.

"But I'm a s-slave." She said through tears. "And I'll never see any of my family ever aga-" She was so overcome with a mixture of hiccups and sobs that it made it impossible for her to talk.

"Miss Dasha," Chirou said as he lead her back into her prison. "It is not proper of me, but if you are selled to a family near where I work, I will help you escape." His voice became low as he talked, not wanting the masters on the boat to hear.

"B-but I don't want to be sold!" She cried. "I'm a person, not livestock."

"That is not the way here. I have been meaning to escape fer a while, and I will help you while I do it." He assured her. His name was called from above, he should have been back on the decks by now. "Pleese, think it over." He said and left after putting her shackles back around her wrists.

The next morning, Sarra was led off of the cursed boat she had been on for a while, she had lost count of the days, and was brought to land, not by the friendly Chirou, but by a large gaurd whose face looked set into a grimace. That was when she had her first view of Halya, the major city in Dijourd. People's skin colors varied from almost pure black to golden brown, with every imaginable color in between. It seemed that slaves, both men and women, dressed in undyed shirts and breeches. Slave children, she saw a few with their parents, wore undyed dress like clothes. That was, apparently, how they were told apart from the regular society. They were not allowed ornaments of any kind, going rather against the Dijourdian style of blocky, brightly colored jewelry. Common women sold breads, sewing supplies, and so on, in stalls, dressed in the tight fitting, long dress that all women wore, with their shoulders easily seen with only inch wide straps to cover them. Most of them wore blue dresses. Sarra knew that Dijourd was famous for its indigo and purple dye made from shellfish. Only nobility, however, were allowed to wear the expensive purple. The rest of the world had recently found their own ways to make purple dyes, which was a reason why the Dijourdians were raiding Tortall and probably other countries. The men wore Tunics and loose breeches, to keep them cool in the heat. Many of them as well wore blue. People's wealth was shown in their jewelry. There were the poorest of people, with copper and tin painted to look like gold or silver and false stones. The richer commoners wore glass and semi-precious stones in their brass and silver jewelry.

Not long after she had taken all of the Dijourdian fashions, she always loved to see how other people dressed, was she brought to a slave keeping house. It was made of dried mud with a straw roof, the lowliest kind of houses in this country. It consisted of two rooms. A room in front where the slave keepers worked and a large, pen-like room where the slaves were kept, with a privy curtianed off in the corner. Sarra was given the rough garmets of a slave and was going to argue that she wanted to stay in her clothes when it dawned on her that she would be forced to wear them. The Dijourdians were very strict on being able to tell people's class by their clothes and jewlery. She was shoved into the slave pen and was immediatly gawked at by all of the slaves. She was the lightest skinnned person in the room by far, the runner up having skin to match the mud walls.

"Well, this is new. What is your name?" A man, he seemed to be like a leader to them, with the way they all looked at him with respect. Sarra remained silent. "I sayed, what is your name?" She understood him, she was just afraid to talk to them.

"Maybe she's a mute." A younger boy jeered from the corner. "You know how stuupid these northerners are." The group laughed at the jab to Sarra and her home land.

"Actually, my name is Dasha, I am not a mute, as you could probably understand by now if you knew the meaning of the word and if northerners are stupid, I have no idea how this country has lasted so long, seeing as you're all stupid enough to let you people starve and attempt to attack countries stronger than them." Sarra snapped, crossing her arms. The youth got up from his corner and charged towards her, only to be stopped by the leader.

"Issay, back. Do not strike at her, or the keepers will come and whip us all. If northerners are so smart, why are you captured?" He asked Sarra earnestly.

"I was alone and they came and surrounded me and kidnapped me. And I couldn't-" She stopped herself before she told them all about her magic. This place wasn't spelled against magic, meaning she could use it. But not now. She would pretend to be ordinary, magic-less. They would know it was her if she did somethin g now. And then, when she was brought to a family she could escape them and run away to Tortall. It was perfect. "I couldn't escape." She finished.

Thanks to my beta, and you'd better thank her too or else you would be attempting to figure out the Dijourdian accents right now. Again, sorry for the longer update gaps but I am trying as hard as I can and, to anyone who reads my crossover, I am still working on it, don't give up! - Emma (oh, yeah, I almost forgot...REVIEW!)


	32. To have the Gift, or not

I'm back! Hey, please check out my new oneshot Learning: www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/5690462/1/Learning and vote for it here: **http://poll(dot)pollcode(dot)com/Im5e M beta got back to me so here's the updated version!**

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Sarra learned that night was the same temperature as day in Dijourd. It did  
not get colder like it did, back in Tortall. Unfortunately,it just got more  
humid, which made the night seem even warmer. She couldn't sleep. Even the  
dirt floor was warm to the touch. Finding a crack in the wall, she poked a  
finger sized hole in it, to feel the breeze, if any should come. Sarra glanced  
around to make sure no one had noticed. The other slaves slept on the floor,  
the guards dozed in their chairs. She knew, however, that it would be unwise  
to try to leave. An elderly man had tried that earlier, around midnight. The  
guards were just as alert, dozing, as they were when awake. She still couldn't  
bare to look at that old man. She was pretty sure he was still bleeding on  
the cheekbone and his wrist was obviously broken. With a twinge, she  
remembered the healing Aunt Alanna had made sure was drummed into her head.  
Surely it couldn't hurt; it was simply an act of kindness. She crept to the  
old man, whose skin was ebony, as his hair must have been before it whitened.  
Reaching out a pale hand that barely shook, she watched her gift flow from her  
fingertips, first to his cheek, then his arm. Sarra was making sure the wrist  
had healed straight when her upper arm was grabbed, and roughly.  
"Well, well, well. A Gifted northerner wench. You'll surely sell at the  
auction tomorrow, if not for a bed warmer, then for a mage." He dragged her to  
the front room, the one where she had been given the uncomfortable clothes she  
wore now. "Ben." He shook a sleeping man, one who did not have the toughened  
look of a guard. "Benevuto!" The man woke, as did many of the slaves, many of  
whom peered through the open doorway, trying to see what was going on. "We've  
a Gifted wench, here. See how powerful she is." When the mage, Sarra supposed  
that was what he must have been, hesitated, the guard shoved her forward.  
"Now!" Sarra stumbled and regained her balance using a table as her anchor.  
"Sit down, please." The mage, Benevuto, said, not unkindly, gesturing  
towards a rickety stool in front of him. Sarra sat and, as soon as he reached  
out to her to examine her gift, put up one of her best defensive spells, to  
make her seem ordinary and Giftless. Ben frowned. "Quieden, she hasn't got any  
Gift." He said to the guard, who now stood behind Sarra, looming  
intimidatingly.  
"That's impossible. I saw her heal that slave that tried to escape earlier,  
he's perfectly fine now, and we gave him a rough beating earlier tonight."  
Queiden said. "Isn't there a way she could hide her gift from you?"  
"The only way that could happen would be if she was extremely powerful. How  
powerful are you, girl?" Ben asked her.  
"I don't know what you mean, sir, I don't have any magic I just-" Quieden  
moved and left Sarra's face stinging from the slap. Tears sprung to her eyes  
but she held them back and resisted to put a hand to her cheek.  
"How powerful are you, you stupid chit?" He snarled, spitting the words in  
her face.  
"Just a small Gift, honest." She lied. Obviously, she wouldn't get away  
without telling him what he wanted to hear. "Just enough for fixing cuts and  
bones, not much else, except maybe lighting candles." She put a weak little  
laugh in her voice, as if it were a joke. When the guard glared menacingly,  
she replaced it with a quiver in her lip, taught to her by Aly, though her  
cousin had meant for it to be a way to get what she wanted, not to act as the  
frightened slave. She remembered that Aly herself had been caught as a slave,  
and that she had been guided by a god. She wished the same for herself.  
"It is possible.," Ben started to say slowly after the long silence, "That  
I could not see her Gift, if it is that weak...." Sarra was confused. She knew  
very well that he would be able to see a small Gift, even one as meager as the  
one she had described. Was this man trying to help her? Or trying to cover  
his own tail?  
Quieden grunted. "We'll exaggerate and say she's a healer. Get into the pen,  
bitch." Sarra got the feeling that this gaurd, Queiden, liked to insult the  
slaves.

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Ok everyone, It seems my beta has abandoned me for the time being, so here's a short chapter, new one should be up soon. Also, I have a new story (YAY) its Percy Jackson and the Olypians, so if anyone likes that you can read it. Also, if you read Going and Coming, I have a reader who will be writing a new ending to it sometime soon, so more details of that on the way! (ps, anyone else in the DC, MD, PA, VA, WVA loving the snow?)


	33. Sold and Sand

I'm back! Again! For, what? the 33rd time? something like that. no, 32nd, cause to be back there would have to be a preceding chapter, right? See, i know stuff. Just not stuff that's important. Anyway, thanks to my beta, who read and corrected this chapter, and also explained to me that "gaurd" is spelled "guard". Onto the story, I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seats to find out what happens to Sarra.

The next day was the slave auction. It was really a slaves-sit-there-while-buyers-gawp-at-you-like-a-fair-animal-and-then-you're-advertised auction, but Sarra had the feeling that it would take far too long to say that all in one breath. She also kept it to herself, not sharing her joke with any of the other slaves. They had avoided her even more, averting their eyes whenever she looked at them, since last night. No doubt they wouldn't give a damn about what she thought was a witty joke. She looked up at the buyers. That was a bad idea. Many of the men looked at her in a way that made her squirm. She looked back down at the cracked mud on the ground. She sang the song that had been in her head since she was brought onto the boat to Dijourd. She was only aware it was her turn to be sold off when Quieden the guard dragged her to stand before the bidders.

"Ah, yes. Here we have a northern girl, in her late teens, and is a healer to boot." The man announcing her description laughed at his hint that she would not be sold solely for her skills in magic. "Do we have any bids?" Sarra couldn't look up at the buyers again. She didn't want to see how many people tried to buy her, if any did. She would actually prefer not to know the winner as well, but she knew that was impossible. "Going once, twice, three times, sold, to the man in the purple. Er, the man in the purple in the back, that is." He said, clarifying which noble man he meant before the other men in purple got confused. Apparently, there had been more than one. Numbly she sensed that she was taken over to the mage, Benevuto, where the ownership on her slave collar was changed. She followed the man, who she had not yet been able to see the face of, to his carriage. She stood outside the door when he  
walked into it.

"Well, come on, I'm not going to make you walk." Despite being in Dijourd, he had a Carthaki accent, thought his skin color could really fit the description of either ethnicity. She stepped into the carriage and sat as close to the window and as far away from her new master as she possibly could.

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Jakob's hands shook with fury. Sweat poured down his face. He didn't really have quite enough power to scry for very long, and he had used every bit of it. Asking Sir Alanna would get him a look on her face that suggested she might cry, which he never thought was possible, followed by her cursing Dijourd when she finished scrying. He felt like doing the same right now. That - that - bastard had bought Sarra. And for what? He had a pretty good idea of what. Pretty slave, a rich master. Minstrels had the story down to an art. He ran out of his room, slamming the door shut, and sprinted down to the beach. The beach where he had left her for a few minutes and come back to find her gone, kidnapped. He pounded the sand and threw it out to sea as tears ran down his face.

"What did you see?" He turned to see Alanna. He should have known she had hear him and followed him here. "A-are you crying?" She asked, leaning down to inspect him, her voice incredulous.

"What? No, I just got sand in my eyes." He said, brushing the salty water from his cheeks. The last thing he wanted right now was Alanna knowing what he had seen. Her temper was worse than his, and who knew what she would do.

"You're avoiding my first question. What happened? What did you see?"

"She got sold." He said, sitting back down on the sand. For once, she didn't correct him on his grammar. "The man who bought her, well, you know why he probably did. That's what happens to girls in slave countries. Why can't we go get her!?!" He demanded, his voice cracking. It wasn't the first time he had  
asked that question.

"Jakob. We are perhaps on the verge of a war with Dijourd. The last thing their majesties need is their Champion and her squire storming down there to steal a slave." She saw him open his mouth to speak, but she held up her hand. "But I've someone who can go to her, unnoticed."She said, with a wry smile.  
It was not a nice smile.

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Hmmm, I think I'll leave it there, just to be absolutely evil! Thought I'd give you a little Jakob POV. Feel free to guess who it is in reviews, that I _know _you're going to write.


	34. Moves

Ok,, so everyone take your hands, and then put them together, then apart. This is called a clap. Read on to find out why I'm having you clap.

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"My name is Lord Timothee of Rensliegh, your new master. What is your name, girl?" He asked her, not quite as harsh as she had expected but not in an amiable fashion. She remained silent, examining the parquet flooring on the carriage. "Are you mute, what is your name?" He asked, a tint of annoyance showing in his voice.

"Dasha." She said, keeping to her false name she had given to Chirou.

"And your last name?" He inquired impatiently.

"Shalia. Dasha Shalia." She used the fief that Dasha was from for her last name, hoping that he would not know the names of the lesser Tortallan fiefs. He didn't, because he sat back in his seat after he had received her full name.

"Good. Now Dasha, you will be a healer at our fief, not the main one of course, but we can always use an apprentice." Sarra could have cried with releif. She hadn't been bought for her looks afterall! "We'll see to it that you've a proper healer's robe and any supplies you may need, but our cheif healer Wuntir will have most of the things you will require." Sarra bobbed her head as she was most likely expected to do.

Fief Rensleigh wasn't very far from the capital. The fief itself was very rich for a lord, it looked to be the estates of a duke or higher standing. When she left the carriage after her new master, she was met by Wuntir, a man a couple inches taller than her with black skin, hair, and eyes. His nose was the most prominent thing about him, as it was rather large and wide. He grunted when he saw her and led her to the infirmary, where she would be staying as she had been told by Timothee. Her room was a seven foot wide square, with just enough room to squeeze in a pallet stuffed with hay, a battered wooden trunk, and a washtable that had seen much wear and many repairs.

The infirmary itself was much nicer than her quarters. There were few people in the large room for the patients, and those that were there were simply in recovery and were not seriously damaged. Her first heling at Fief Rensleigh was when a girl of perhaps twelve walked inside, holding her wrist with a green face. She told Sarra that her mother was the cook as Sarra examined her. "What's your name?" The girl, who had also told Sarra that her name was Benieta, Beni for short, asked.

"Dasha." Sarra replied, keeping her false name. It wouldn't do for anyone to know that she had lied about her name. She sent her gift into Beni's wrist.

"Well, why are you here, being so pale and all? I thought northerners didn't like slavery? But you are a slave?" Beni asked her, nodding to Sarra's slave collar.

"We do frown upon it from where I am from, but I was kidnapped from my home country." She decided to steer the girl off of the topic. "You've a break in your wrist, I think. It's hard to tell, since you're still growing. If it is broken, it's on your growth plates. It's not safe to use magic on a perfectly healthy person, so I'm just going to splint your arm and we'll see how it is in a couple weeks, sound good?" She asked Beni, who nodded. "Just out of curiousity, how did you break it?" She asked, getting out the necessary supplies to splint Benieta's arm.

"I was climbing a tree, and my mother always say that I shouldn't put my arm out if I fall, but I did." She replied ruefully, then winced as Sarra twisted her arm strait and placed it on the splint.

"Sorry about that." Sarra finished wrapping the girls arm. "Off with you, then." She said, shooing the girl out of the infirmary as she was thanked. She took a drink from the water skin Wuntir had given her, with her name carved roughly on it.

"That was smart." Wuntir said from behind, startling her. She turned to look at him.

"What was smart?" She asked, taking another gulp of water.

"Most novices would have just healed her, but you knew that was bad. It makes me think that you have a stronger gift. You say you only do minor injuries and illnesses?" He asked her, eyebrows raised in such a way that she felt he did not beleive her.

"Mostly, if I do anything else, I usually faint." She replied, sitting down to add to the effect that just examining Beni had tired her.

Wuntir nodded. "Go get supper and rest now, tomorrow I will teach you natural ways to heal." He said, sending her out the door. Sarra found the kitchen after getting some directions from an assistant hostler, who made it clear that it was obvious she was new. In the kitchen she was given a roll with scrap meat in it by a chunky, hard faced woman and sent out of there. She ate her roll, which was not very appetizing but it was all there was to eat and she hadn't been given any meat since she had been in Tortall.

"Dasha." Lord Timothee was walking towards her in the dimming light. "There you are, my dear girl, how was your first day, hm?" He asked, sitting down next to her.

"Um, good, sir." She said, startled. "How was your day, my lord?" She asked, supposing that she should be polite.

"Better, now that you're here." He said, leaning in towards her. Sarra realized all at once that he had bought her for the purposes she had feared. Calling on her wild magic, she found a dog willing to help her. Before Timothee could so much as touch her, his leg was in the jaws of a large dog. Sarra took her chance and ran for the infirmary, bolting into her room and securing the door shut with the turnk. She closed her eyes and let out a shaking breath.

* * *

He looked on from the bow of the boat. He could see Dijourd on the horizon, and he knew from his scrying that she was in a fief called Rensleigh. He would have to figure out a way to communicate with her, and to get her out of there safely. But Rikash was up for the challenge.

* * *

Ok, so this hasn't been beta'd yet, just so you know (cause i think my beta's on spring break) but i felt really bad about there being no updates. Still wondering why I had you clap? If you think you know, you're wrong. You were clapping for Mistyrious One, who guessed correctly that it is Rikash who is going to Sarra's rescue!


	35. Cutting and Sewing

Sarra slid down to the floor, not caring about the splinters that dug into her clothes. All she could think about was how foolish she had been, how naive. And what would she do now? It was almost certian that Timothee would either come at her again or worse if she left her tiny room.

_Sarra._ What was that? An animal. Not in the mood for a conversation with any, she ignored him. _Sarra, it's me, Rikakash. _Sarralyn gasped and stood up then frowned.

_Rikaksh, how are you talking to me in my mind? _She asked him

_I'm a dog right now. Sarra, we have to get you out of there and out of Dijourd. _

_No, really? And how do you plan on doing that? _She replied sarcastically. She wasn't exactly feeling very optomistic at that moment.

_Simple, you shapeshift. _Rikakash replied, patient as always.

_Don't you think it might be a _bit _suspicious if a random animal walks out of my room where I just ran in? _She said, weighing the pros and cons of his plan.

_We'll get out of here before anyone has time to think about it. Now, meet me outside at the infirmary door at midnight. _He said, and she could sense him walking away.

_Wait! How am I supposed to know when it's midnight?_

_Ill tell you, Sarra, beleive me, this plan will work. _

Rikakash was neither right nor wrong. Sarra did, indeed, get out of the infirmary door, as a dog, when he told her the moon was at the center of the sky. But they were also locked into the fief, with ten foot walls surrounding them. Rikakash kept cool headed and shapeshifted to a bird, Sarra just after him, weighed down a bit by the satchel she was holding with their clothes. But a sentry saw the dogs change into birds, something even an idiot would suspect. He called for his general, and twenty men came after them. The siblings changed back into dogs and ran as fast as they could. They were abused by many arrows that came to hit them. But they were never caught. Swords were lashed at them several times, one striking across Sarra's muzzle, but still they kept going. When they got away and the team of men stopped chasing them, Sarra shapeshifted and changed then looked to her younger brother. He was lying on the ground, naked, with an arrow lodged in his right shoulder.

"Rikaksh." She said, not caring about the cut across her nose from one cheek to the other, or the arrow wound on her shin. "Rikaksh, please, stay with me. Talk, you have to stay conscious." She said, inspecting the arrow. It was deep into his skin, he would need the cut to be sewn and healed, but she had no needle and thread. She sent her magic into it, cleaning it as best she could and protecting it from infection. Taking the dagger that Rikaksh had brought along in the satchel, she cut the arrow so only the arrowhead was still in her brother's body.

"Sarra?" He asked, rolling over than wincing.

"Don't roll over, you've got an arrow head in your shoulder, and I can't take it out because it needs to be sewn up. Any other injuries?" She asked, putting her weight back onto the balls of her feet as she still knelt beside him.

"I - I don't feel anything. I'm just tired. And Sarra, your nose, and your leg." He said, pointing to her injuries.

"They're nothing." She said, "Here, I know it will hurt, but we have to walk to a city, then I can fix your wound." She said, helping him up and to get dressed. They began walking towards the ominouse glow of the city nearby. Rikaksh's torso stiff with pain, and Sarra limping and keeping her face expressionless, for it hurt her cut to move her face much.

When they reached the city, it was far to late for any shop to be open. And they had only a few coins, not enough to get a room at an inn if they wanted to sew Rikaksh's cut back together. So they slept in a clearing near the city in the woods, with soft grass. Rikaksh had a tough time falling asleep, but Sarra had it worse. What would happen when she got back home? Her parents would never let her out of her room. And Jakob, how she wished to see him. She fell asleep remembering the last time they had been together.

Right, so that button is there for a reason, use it! - Emma


	36. Stowaways

Ok, I'm really sorry for not updating for a while, I promise I will again next weekend, and before I go away. My summer updates will probably be infrequent, but I hope to finish this story before I go. Now, I have a challenge for you kiddies! As you probably know, I cannot write summaries. That's where you come in. So, the contest is, write a new summary for this story! You can PM it to me or just leave it as a review! Thanks – Emma

Sarra woke to cheerful birds chirping. Grimacing at her annoyance above her head and the pain in her face and leg, she stood up. She glanced at Rikash to find that he was still asleep. Taking his satchel, she put the coin in her pocket and ripped the bag, using about half to bind the cut on her leg and a small amount of cloth combined with spit to blot the dried blood off of her nose. She left the rest to wrap around Rikash's shoulder when she sewed it up. She limped into the city and purchased a needle, brown thread, and a large pair of tweezers from a seamstress's store. The woman regarded her with suspicion, but took her money and gave her the purchased items.

When she arrived back at the clearing, Rikash still slept. Deciding that it would be less painful for him in his sleep and that her brother was a heavy enough sleeper, she took the arrowhead out using the tweezers. Setting the tweezers and weapon aside, she began to sew the cut together. Sarra had never been able to stitch beautiful patterns, but she was adept enough at sewing to bind the injury. Rikash came to while she was wrapping the cut in the cloth she had saved from the satchel.

"Sarra?" He said, blinking in the light. "My arm, it feels…"He scrunched his face, thinking of a way to describe it.

"I know, but I don't have enough energy, Rikash, and we've got to get going." She said, hauling him to his feet by his armpits.

"How are we supposed to do that?" He asked, rubbing his cut.

"You're the one who planned this escape." She snapped, then softened. "Sorry. I know someone who works on a boat."

"And you trust them?" He asked uncertainly.

"He might help us, I'm not really sure. But it's the best we've got." She answered

"Chirou!" Sarra called to the man whom she had been watching all morning. "Chirou it's me, Dasha!" She called out to him. She had already explained to Rikash that he believed her name to be Dasha and that his was to be Nikolas.

"Miss Dasha, you escaped, did you?" Chirou asked when he had walked closely enough that he did not have to yell.

"Yes, and this is my brother, Nikolas. Do you know how we can get back to Tortall?" Sarra asked, she opened her eyes wide to keep her demeanor innocent.

Chirou pursed his lips. "I don't know about Tortall, but there's a ship going off for Tyra. Perhap you can find your way from there, the border is not far, I think." He told her as he studied her brother.

"When does it leave?" Sarra asked hurriedly.

Chirou looked at the sun. "In mayhap an hour, or less. It is not a passenger ship, Miss Dasha, you will have to hide." He looked at her with serious concern.

"That's no matter, thank you, Chirou, we'd best being going, it was nice to know you." She said, and began to walk away. The look in his eyes frightened her.

"Miss Dasha." He said, and she turned slowly to look at him. Covering the distance between them in two great strides, he kissed her and simply said, "Good-bye."

"I thought you were with Sir Alanna's squire." Rikash whispered once they were safely hidden by several large, wooden crates.

"What?" Sarra asked, startled out of her thoughts. Rikash repeated his question. "I am." She said, confused at him.

"Then why did that man kiss you?" Sarra's eyes went wide with realization. Jakob could not find out about Chirou. It wasn't thought she loved Chirou, or even liked him, but she feared that what had happened could ruin her relationship with Jakob.

"Rikash, you can't tell Jakob about that, I didn't mean for it to happen and – why am I telling you this. Just don't tell Jakob, alright?" She looked at him sternly.

"Alright, but if you fall in love with him and get all upset when he finds out, don't come crying to me." He said, which posed another question for Sarra. Should she be completely honest with Jakob and tell him what happened, or should she try to hide it?

Ok, I feel really guilty about not updating but I will again tomorrow (which is the last day of school! YAY!)

Emma


	37. When it comes down to it

I know, you all hate me. Which is why I am apologizing so much for not posting (I only just got back home) and I'm going to apologize in advance for the scant more chapters that will (probably) be posted this summer. Anyway, here's the next chapter, not yet beta'd but I feel really bad so It'll probably be reposted! – Emma

(REVIEW PLEASE!)

Sarra slept for most of the boat ride home. While she was awake, she thought of what she would tell Jakob. She could hide it all from him, the simplest of ideas. Or she could simply tell him the truth: that he had done it, she hadn't even reacted, and it hadn't created a feeling in the pit of her stomach _nearly _as strong as his kissed and her knees had felt only the slightest bit weak. Or she could lie, and say he had come on to her and it was awful. But that would ensnare her in a series of lies and there would not be a way out and telling him the truth after that would completely break his trust. Rikash watched her silently and did not make any indication of his feelings.

The boat dropped anchor after several weeks at sea. Sarralyn sighed as the ship came to a stop and heaved herself to her feet. Now, she and Rikash would have to sneak off the boat and find a passage to Tortall.

"One room, please." Sarra requested at the inn at the very southeastern border of Tortall.

"Aren't ye a little youn' fer that sorta thin'?" The innkeeper's wife asked, sizing up Rikash and Sarra.

"He's my brother." She said with a falsely sweet smile. "One room please." She said firmly.

The woman relented. " 'Ere ye go. And don' think I don' know what yer up to." She winked and walked back to the kitchen, barely fitting through the door.

Sarra inwardly shuddered at the thought of such acts.

"Well, where is she?" Jakob asked impatiently.

"A minute, please, Jakob." Alanna replied curtly. "There, she's at an inn with Rikash, thank the great goddess he found her."

"What inn? Where is it?" Jakob demanded. Why did Alanna never give him the full details?

"I don't know, Jakob, there's only so much I can do and I want her back as much as you. The important thing is that she's out of her slave master's home." Alanna said, sitting down.

"What? You think she's still a slave? Is that how you think of her? She never was a slave, she was captured illegally, on Tortallan soil, and you are referring to her as – as someone's property?" He turned on her, takning his rage out on the easiest outlet.

"I didn't say that!" She insisted.

"Yes, well, as you _did _say, the important thing is she's out of her _slave master's home._" He spat the words out at her, mocking her and hating her for not being able to tell him where Sarra was.

"Get yourself together, Jakob, because if you're like this when she comes back, I'll make sure you never see her again." Alanna said, and left the room and a slam of the door for punctuation.

Ok, I know, really short, but I will try and update before I leave for Europe (*does happy dance about going to Europe*)

Please oh please review, especially you total CLFs (no, I won't tell you what that means) who add this to your story alert and don't review. I will put y'all's name's up again!


	38. If You Think Hard Enough

This chapter is dedicated to KallianaCorus, who wrote her first ever review just for me!

Also, I did get a review from someone who didn't want Sarra to end up with Jakob so I'm starting a poll, on whether or not she should, so please vote!

Rikash slumped down against a tree. "I don't think I can fly anymore today, Sarra." He said, his voice hoarse. Sarralyn stepped out from behind the tree she had been changing at the rear of to look at him.

"Are you certain. Not even a mile, or two?" She asked. She wanted to get home as soon as possible. Rikash shook his head. Alright, you set up the bedrolls, I'll start a fire." She gathered sticks and tufts of dry grass in the surrounding area.

"Sarra." Rikash called.

"What?" She wasn't in the best of moods, Rikash wasn't great at conserving his power and it slowed them down.

"Did you hear it?" He asked.

"No, hear what Rikash, there's nothing around here to—" but then she heard it as well. Hoofbeats, of perhaps five to ten horses, not many, but probably enough to overtake them. "Rikash, come over here!" She yelled to him. Once he was at her side, she sent up a shield, like a soap bubble around them. Then a masking spell to hide them. She watched as a horse with a large rider hit the bubble, whinnied, and bucked the man off.

"Whoa, what's here?" The man asked, getting up off of the ground. "Emmit, come over here, there's some sort of spell." A man, most likely a mage, came to the larger man's side." Sarra could feel his magic testing her shields. She was exhausted already, and did not have the energy to keep the spells up for more than a minute or two. She blinked several times to clear her vision. When she stopped, the world was black around the edges, and her circle of vision was getting smaller.

Dom watched Emmit test the invisible magic in front of him, then, just as suddenly as he had run into them, they disappeared, revealing a scared, young teenage boy and a slightly older girl, whose head hit the ground as he watched in a dead faint. "Dom, wait!" It was meathead. He always had something to say. Did he honestly think that Dom was going to kill two children. "Look at the girl. Doesn't she look familiar?" Dom squinted at her. About fifteen or sixteen, she had black curly hair and a lanky figure. The boy, perhaps a younger brother, was blonde, with familiar eyes, but he still couldn't place it. "I remember now!" Neal exclaimed. Why did he always have to figure it out first. "They're Daine and Numair's kids, ummm, Rikash, right?" he asked the boy, who stared at them with eyes like saucers

"And that would be Sarra." Dom said, remembering their encounter with her twelve years ago. "What happened to them?"

"I don't know, Domitan, why don't you ask them." Neal replied shortly.

"Fine, Meathead." He called to him, then helped Rikash to his feet. "Well?" He asked, bending down to help Neal lift Sarralyn.

"Sarra got kiddnaped by Dijourdians and I went to rescue her but we could only get to Tyra, so then we're travelling by flying from there, and we were setting up camp when we heard you, so then she put up protection spells but he-" he glared accusingly at Emmit "had to test them so she fainted." Rikashed blurted in one, long sentence.

"Where exactly are you two going to?" Dom asked, handing the boy his skin of water.

"Fort Saffron, that's where Sarra was when she was taken."

"Right. Here, you can use my tent for the night and we'll start off to the fort tomorrow morning. It's only about two days ride from here."

Ok, so you're probably wondering why Emmit is in this chapter. You see, at first Neal wasn't going to be there at all, and Emmit would be the healer, but then Neal fit in really well with the figuring out who they are sequence. And Emmit, by the way, isn't mentioned on the TP wiki, so I had to get out my copy of squire, go the the general area of the scene I remembered b/c Dom was holding Kel's hand (page 298, just in case you're wondering) and find his name. ON the bright side, I found $20 in my book! Score for emma!

Review, as always, - em


	39. Alone Tonight

Ok, so I just got my laptop back from technology (yay for my new Windows 7!) and I decided to write this now, because why would I study for the test and quiz I have tomorrow, or do my math homework?

Disclaimer: Esta no es de mi.

Sarra woke up strapped to the front of a man's horse, him riding behind her. She panicked for a moment, thinking that she had been kidnapped yet again, only to see her brother glance over to her and smile. Why would he smile if they were hostages?

"And I see you're up." The man behind her said. She twisted in her seat to see him and winced when her neck cracked.

"And you are?" She asked him, not in the most polite tone, which she probably should have because he was obviously a knight. But she just couldn't bring herself to care.

"Sir Nealan of Queenscove, at your service, m'lady Sarralyn." He said, inclining his head in a mock bow. She recognized the name. He was the best friend Lady Kel was always going on about.

"And may I ask where we are going, Sir Nealan?" She was mocking him with his formal title.

"To Fort Saffron, of course. We should be there by sundown." By sundown? How long had she been out? Seeming to read her mind, he replied, "We were riding all yesterday, but you were out cold. Nothing bad, I'm a healer, just that you expended all of you r magic reserves. That reminds me, do you want something to eat?" He asked, pulling out a roll with cheese in it. Sarra ate the sandwich in less than ten bites.

"About what time is it now?" She asked. Nealan looked up at the sky.

"I'd guess about four o'clock. Two hours of riding ahead of us, at least." He said, his eyes trained on the path.

Sarra nodded, but wasn't paying attention anymore. She felt tired once again, and soon fell back asleep.

When she re-awoke, it was in Fort Saffron's infirmary. _Why am I always here? _ She thought, looking at the cotton sheets and grey wool blanket with dismay. Sleeping in chairs next to her bed were Lady Kel, Jakob, Rikash, and Sir Nealan. Through the windows she could see it was well into the night. Deciding not to wake them, she got up from her bed. A step on the floor caused a creak that filled the silent room. Jakob twitched, but remained asleep. She kept going.

Sarra had almost made it to the door when a groggy voice asked, "Sarra?" It was Jakob. She turned slowly. He looked at her, eyes wide, from his chair, almost as if she was not really there. Then, somehow very swiftly, he was there in front of her. She hugged him, he face on his chest, and cried. He held her and smoother he hair. She sniffed and pulled away.

"Now your shirt's ruined." She replied, inferring to the patch of salty water just below the neckline.

"I don't care." He said simply. And then he was kissing her, and she was kissing him back. He broke away and, with a glance to the sleeping group across the room, led her out the door, across the grass, and to his own room.

"Are you sure, Sarra?" He asked her at the door.

" I don't want to be alone tonight." She replied, and brought his lips down to hers.

Ok, so sorry it's so short, but I do have to go now. Anyway, there is a poll on my page, pleassssseeeeeeeeeeeeee vote. And review. That's awesome as well. A big thanks to all the people hwo review during my leave of absence, or whatever you want to call it. - Emma


	40. Used Frequently

Ok. So, I'm really sorry that I haven't updated this in forever! Lucky for you all, I'm sick today. I was super busy, and they messed up our laptops with this new spyware stuff. Anyway, none of you guys really care about that, so onto the story

Sarra woke up in an unfamiliar bed by herself. Sun came through the window brightly, so she assumed it was late in the morning. Jakob was gone, but a small tear of paper was on the pillow next to her.

"Sarra, I've gone down to breakfast. I'll be in the practice courts after that. Love, Jakob"

Sarralyn dressed herself and went down to the dining hall. It was practically empty, with Alanna and Sir Nealan discussing something at a corner of the room. Alanna looked up and beakoned her over.

"Here, you look starved, eat this here." She pushed a plate full of food and a glass of water towards Sarra. She took up a fork gratefully and began to dig into the food, barely stopping to breathe. "Where you last night, youngling? We all woke up, and you were gone, and you weren't in your room." Alanna quirked her eyebrows.

"Your, er, _friend _Jakob was also gone…" Sir Nealan said, letting the sentence hand in the air. Alanna elbowed him hard in the ribcage. Sarra looked at them like a deer in the middle of the road, caught in front of a horse. She decided the best course of action would be to continue eating, to avoid having to answer the question. But when she looked down, all of her food was gone. She took her glass of water to her mouth, not really drinking it, but looking like she was for show.

"Not that it's any of our business or anything, but, you know, we could let something slip to your parents: 'You know, I just couldn't find Sarralyn the other night, she was nowhere to be found…What's that, oh, no, we didn't think to check her suitor's room, what an interesting idea." Alanna said mischievously.

Sarra's glass nearly dropped out of her hand. The water that was in her mouth went down the wrong part of her throat, and she coughed as her eyes watered. "If you – " She said, breaking off to cough more.

"Don't worry." Alanna said as Nealan stood up to get more food "But, Sarra, you do have a pregnancy charm, don't you?"

"Yes, here" Sarra held it out for her to see. "I've had it for about three years, is it still good?" She looked very worried.

Alanna inspected it. "It should be alright, but you might want to get a new one soon if, uh, you plan on using it frequently…"

"Using what frequently?" Sir Nealan asked, sitting down with them again.

"Nothing, I actually have to go, so I'll see you both later." Sarra said, standing up and throwing out her leftovers.

"Use what frequently!" Nealan whined to Alanna as she walked out of the dining hall.

Ok, not very long, but it's something. This is probably the 2nd to last chapter, but I might write an epilogue, I'm not sure. Ideas are always welcome. - Em


	41. Stars of Pain

Okay, guys, I know. I am so sorry. Thank you so much if you are still even reading this (if anyone wants an explanation or something, let's say I've had a lot of personal issues, but I am seeing a therapist now, and doing much better) So, without further ado….this…

Sarra slept in the back of a carriage as Jakob looked down on her, pausing between pages in his book. She made a slight sound, and shifted, tangling the blanket on top of her even more. He smiled, shook his head, and looked out the carriage. Alanna saw him and held up one finger. One more hour until they reached the palace again. Lucky for him, so Alanna had told him, Daine and Numair were out on some sort of royal business and Rikash was away to study magic. She had winked at him as she said this and he wondered vaguely if she knew how far their relationship had gone. Probably, but she didn't seem to mind much.

They hit a large rock in the road and Sarralyn's head hit the wall of the carriage, waking her with a burst of pain to the side of her head and stars dancing in her eyes. "Sarra, are you alright?" Jakob abandoned the crate he had been sitting on to kneel by her side.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Just a little bump." He could see that her eyes were tearing up from the pain, but he didn't say anything. "How much longer?"

"About an hour 'till we reach the palace." He replied, cradling her head in his hands, despite the fact that she said it did not hurt.

"And now that I'm awake, what am I supposed to do until then?" She asked, pouting slightly.

"Well," Jakob said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I have an idea." He whispered as his lips brushed hers.

I'm so sorry that it's so short, but I wanted to let you guys know that I'm still here. Please let me know if you have any ideas, because I'm not quite sure how to wrap up this story.


	42. Morning

Sarra unpacked what had survived the trip there and back into her drawers. She hummed softly to herself as she did so, thinking about many things. Her seventeenth birthday had passed while she was held captive, she realized as she picked up a dagger that had been a birthday present some two or three years ago. Sixteen. She put the dagger away and continued to unpack. There was no need to dwell on what had passed, and she didn't care much for birthdays anyway. When her bags had been emptied, she sat on the edge of her bed. A soft knock caused her to turn towards the door.

"Come in." She called. It was Jakob. "Hi."

" 'Lo. How are you? You left pretty fast as soon as we got here." He hesitantly sat on the bed next to her.

"Just tired. And starving." She realized she had not had anything to eat the entire day. Standing up, Jakob held out his hand for Sarra. She took it, and they made their way to eat. But he didn't take her to the dining hall. He brought her to his rooms instead. "What's this?" She asked. He just smiled.

"It was your birthday when you were…gone. You think I would forget?" He asked with a smile.

"Well, no, but you certainly didn't have to-" He had set up a dinner for them both in his room, complete with candles and trays of food. "-do t-this. This is amazing, Jakob!"

"Don't protest, you're just going to ruin it. Here, sit." He pulled out a chair for her to sit in. He sat across from her, and they ate. When they finished, Jakob got up and helped her up out of her sear. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then." He leaned down for a kiss.

"No. Why would you do that?" She stopped him before his lips reached hers.

"What?" Jakob panicked. Had he done something wrong?

"I want to stay." Sarra said, lying on his bed and pulling him down on top of her. He kissed her fiercely, supporting his weight on his arms above her before rolling over and pulling her on top of him. He pulled off her shirt and she helped him with his.

Sarra woke in Jakob's bed. She lay with her back to him, her head on one of his arms while the other rested protectively across her waist. She turned in her place to face him, her nose barely inches from his.

"Good morning." He said, smiling and kissing her softly.

"Good morning." She smiled. She could get used to waking up to this.

Kay, guys, I feel like this is a slightly ambiguous and good place to leave this story, forever. I'm so grateful to everyone who reviewed, it means so much to me. Make sure to keep your eyes out, 'cause I'll be sure to be posting more Daine/Numair oneshots and other Tortallan/maybe Emealan stories (and maybe some Glee fanfiction…) - Emma


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